Controller
by Sinister Shadow
Summary: Chapter Eleven: When her identity is revealed, will Edriss give in to his torture and death threats? And will her friends be found, or be left to rescue her before it's too late? ... [WILL BE CONTINUED, BUT DISCONTINUED TEMPORARILY]
1. Chapter One

**_ I don't own Animorphs. _**

**_ Controller_****_  
_** by **Sinister Shadow**

**Chapter One**  
  
Orifix  
  
My name is Orifix-Sedaan-Ajani. Or at least, it used to be. Now, you may call me Orifix One-One-Four-Four. Or 1144. And this is my story. The story of an Andalite nothlit.  
  
Now, you must be thinking: "Nothlit stories are so common! I hear them all the time. So what's so special about this one?"  
  
Well, the thing is, there's nothing special about it. The morph-trap happened by accident, just like every other one. I had to live like my new species, just like every other nothlit. But my story is definitely different, if not special. Because I was despised by my own people, much unlike other nothlits. I became an expert on the enemy. I befriended the enemy.  
  
... And the most important thing, is that during my strange life I realized some things that -- I hate to admit it -- I would definitely not have realized if I were still an Andalite today. So here is my story. But I warn you: You may have to brace yourself. Because this is no normal nothlit story...  
  
This is the story of the Andalite who turned into the enemy.  
  
My story starts in 1981, in Earth years. In the beginning of the Andalite month of Kivah. In Earth months? The middle of January. It was at that time that I was born.  
  
I was raised in a very large family -- which included my three sisters, two brothers, parents, and I -- on the Andalite Homeworld. My parents' names were Gidan-Maija-Sedaan and Alara-Umi-Ajani. As for my siblings, each and every one of them was older than me, all except for my younger sister Jani- Katacera-Aksoa. I spent half my childhood with Jani by my side. She followed me everywhere. She admired me.  
  
I wanted to be a good big brother to my sister. I would risk my life for her any day. So one day, while we were running free in the lush fields of the Andalite Homeworld, I looked straight into her eyes and swore to her:  
  
I swear, Jani. I swear that I will never let anything bad to happen to you.   
  
I swore it to her. And I intended to keep my promise. Forever.  
  
... Unfortunately, things don't always work out the way you want them to.  
  
And that was the case with me.  
  
It was by trying to save Jani that I became a nothlit.  
  
It happened on a nice 1987 day. I was six years old, in human years. In Andalite years, I was 0.87 years old. That is because it takes approximately seven human years for one Andalite year to pass.  
  
In your years, Jani was an innocent four-year-old. Why they had to take her, I'll probably never know.  
  
We were in the fields close to home when they took her. We had been walking around in the tasty grass for a while when suddenly Jani noticed a beautiful flower at the borders of the forest, around a mile away.  
  
Jani collected flowers. It was her favorite pass-time.  
  
Even now, I still wish I could see her again. Ask her how many flowers she has so far... But no. That's not at all how it worked out.  
  
Jani ran over to pick up the flower.  
  
What a pretty flower! she yelled back at me. Come see, Orifix!   
  
I smiled and started toward her. If I hadn't taken my precious time, perhaps I could have made it before it was too late...  
  
I hadn't even taken twenty steps when suddenly two very tall, brownish creatures, with strange looking beaks for mouths and blades everywhere on their bodies.  
  
Since I was very young, back then, I had no idea whatsoever of what these things were. But I didn't really care. I was too preoccupied with the fact that their bladed arms were closing around Jani's!  
  
My sister didn't even have time to react before a sort of aluminium cloth was placed on her tail blade. Didn't know what was happening when the brown creatures quickly blindfolded her.  
  
I managed to see her main eyes one last time before they were covered with a cloth.  
  
The pure terror written on Jani's face that day still stings my hearts...  
  
Help me brother! yelled Jani, Help me! O--   
  
I knew she had tried to say my name. But the creatures slammed her in the head, knocking her out, before she even had the chance.  
  
Then, they dragged her deep, deep into the forest.  
  
I followed for a bit, but then my knees buckled and I was too tired to continue.  
  
And if that wasn't bad enough... My insides were worse off.  
  
I was filled with the greatest sorrow any Andalite had ever felt. I had let my little sister down. I promised her nothing bad would ever happen to her. But something bad was happening. Now!  
  
I couldn't give up on Jani. Never! I tried desperately to get up. No success. I hung my head in despair.  
  
And then, when I thought there was no hope left, I remembered something. And remembering just that one thing was the ultimate path to becoming a nothlit. But Jani always came first. And I don't regret that.  
  
But I do regret the idea I got with the memory of the one thing I could use: I had the power of the Escafil device.  
  
The Escafil device is a form of Andalite technology. Brilliant... but dangerous. It allows any Andalite with the power to use it to transform into any creature he or she wants, as long as they touch the animal first and concentrate on it. Then they concentrate on the animal again and they are able to become it. I could become a Kafit bird. I could become a Gikon. I could even become a Taxxon if I wanted to. Taxxons, by the way, are these great big, yellow, slimy centipedes who are also cannibals (they'll eat themselves if they get the chance!). But the problem with morphing (turning into) a Taxxon was that the Andalites were not allowed on the Taxxon Homeworld anymore because the Yeerks had taken the Taxxon species over. Therefore, I had never acquired a Taxxon.  
  
Yeerks had taken over the Taxxons. Yeerks. These slimy parasites that look like gray slugs who are a little bigger than usual. You may have heard of parasites before. Those things that settle into your stomachs or intestines. But Yeerks are different. They take over your mind.  
  
Once a Yeerk is wrapped around your brain there's no stopping it. It moves your fingers and hands. It decides where you go, when and where you sleep and eat. It reads your memories like a book, therefore being able to pass for you. And the worse thing is, you can't do anything about it.  
  
All you can do is stay trapped in the corner of your mind, yelling and screaming all you want. But you know, you should really stop screaming after a while, because the Yeerk's not leaving.  
  
And you can only watch as the Yeerk lives the life that was meant to be yours.  
  
It must be horrible to live a life where you have no freedom. A life of slavery. My father told me about the Yeerks one night when I was five, because I was curious about it. The Yeerks had blown up a building near our home, and I wanted to know why they had done that.  
  
The Yeerks weren't always like this, my father told me while I settled in to sleep for the night. They're just a species gone bad. The Yeerks are our enemies. We will fight them for our freedom, or else die trying.   
  
He had then smiled at me.  
  
Don't worry about that, Orifix. he continued. You'll understand when you're older. I remembered that as if it was yesterday. And now, I was older. And I felt responsible for my little sister.  
  
And I was positive that those two bladed creatures that took my sister were being controlled by Yeerks. Positive.  
  
I felt a wave of anger and hate grow inside me.  
  
I hated these Yeerks. Hated them with a passion. Who were they to try and enslave Jani?! So I remembered the Escafil device. A distinctive picture of a Kafit bird, a bird with six multicolored wings, began to form in my head. And so did the picture of something else, also:  
  
A plan. I had a plan to save Jani.  
  
I felt the changes begin. A multicolor sketch of feathers appeared on my arms. Then, suddenly, the pattern popped up out of my skin, forming hundreds of small feathers. The same things happened to my four legs: My hooves retracted into my legs, causing me to stumble and fall to the ground. and then, the same feather pattern burst out.  
  
I was now a normal sized Andalite with six too-small wings. This would definitely not help.  
  
My bladed tail retracted and then popped back out a long, feathered Kafit tail. My stalk eyes shriveled up and disappeared into my skull. My body and head covered with multicolor feathers as I shrunk down to Kafit size, my nose grew, hardened and sharpened to become a beak, and two beige talons erupted from my lower body.  
  
Last to go were my eyes and internal organs. My eyes sharpened to the incredible vision of a Kafit bird, and became solid red, leaving nothing but my pupils, who were black. I felt a soft squishing as my internal organs shifted around. My second and third hearts stopped beating and disappeared. A Kafit bird only had one heart.  
  
I stood up on my talons and started flapping my six wings. The morph was complete. I rose higher and higher, and then rocketed back down into the mass of trees to find Jani.  
  
As soon as I arrived below the rims of the trees, I saw her. She was still unconscious, being dragged by the arms along a path that led to....  
  
A Bug Fighter!  
  
My parents had described these ships to me. They look like giant bugs without the paws, and that have long, diagonal flight wings. They're completely black. And the ship I saw now, that was nothing but a mile away from my sister and her captors, fit the description perfectly.  
  
And if I wasn't mistaken, that's where they were heading.  
  
My sister would be taken to the Yeerk Homeworld. The Yeerks' planet. To be enslaved. To be controlled.  
  
And I would not let that happen! No! Not to Jani!  
  
I flapped my Kafit wings as hard as possible. My plan had completely developped in my head now. It was just a matter of time.  
  
I flew over, and past the bladed creatures holding my sister captive. But before I went too far, I heard bits of the strange creatures' conversation...  
  
" What if she wakes up before we get to the Homeworld?" asked the one at the left. " What if we can't get a Yeerk into her head before she gets enough strength to escape?"  
  
The other one, at the right, who seemed to be in charge, cocked his head to the left.  
  
" We can put a Yeerk we have in the portable Kandrona in there for now." he said, " It won't hurt."  
  
" Yes, sir." said the other one.  
  
I flapped as fast as I could towards the Bug Fighter. I had all the information I needed.  
  
I flew straight into the Bug Fighter. Right past the Taxxon guard that was getting it ready for launch.  
  
And it didn't take me long at all to find out where the portable Yeerk Pool was stashed.  
  
It was open, and the stench of the sludge within in filled the air of the small room it was in. I looked, and heard a soft swish as a Yeerk's back glided on the surface of the sludge before disappearing into the deep, dark liquid.  
  
I had to move fast.  
  
I flew over to the pool, demorphed back into my Andalite form, and knelt down so my face met with the liquid in the pool... And the three Yeerks it contained. The biggest Yeerk, obviously an adult, was of a dark gray color. It was about twice the size of the other two. The two small ones were similar, but different. One of them was of a deep gray, a little lighter that the adult Yeerk. The other was slimmer, smaller. It was of a light, light gray. Almost silver, actually. And with a small hint of light blue. It glided over the sludge with a strange grace.  
  
I heard voices outside the door. Oh no! My sister's captors must have entered the ship! Luckily for me, they seemed to be deep in conversation with the Taxxon pilot. So I quickly proceded with my plan while I still had the time.  
  
I picked up the second smallest Yeerk. I don't know why, it just seemed like the one who would fit me best.  
  
I picked it up and held it tightly in both my hands. And I closed my eyes. I could feel its small antennae feel the strange things that were holding it captive.  
  
I concentrated on the Yeerk.  
  
That's right. I was acquiring it. It was all part of my plan.  
  
After I finished acquiring the Yeerk, I threw it back into the pool. And then, my hearts thumping with terror, I started the morph.  
  
My strong Andalite skin turned soft. I touched it. It was all slimy. My stalk eyes retracted into my skull. My tail enlarged to become the short "tail" of a Yeerk.  
  
Then, suddenly, my legs split apart and I fell to the ground, not causing much of a racket because my body was so soft. All four of my legs stretched, and then closed in onto my sides.  
  
Suddenly, my stalk eyes reappeared. But they were blind. Antennae.  
  
And then, something horrible happened.  
  
The voices. The Taxxon's paws on the controls. The room around me. The Yeerks in the pool, and the pool itself. The light... It was all gone! I couldn't see! I couldn't hear! I panicked beyond my control. This wasn't supposed to happen! How should I have known that Yeerks were blind and deaf?  
  
Jani, I remembered. I can't panic. I have to save my sister!  
  
The morph finished. I tried desperately to find my way into the pool. But I was only about half way there when the door opened.  
  
I vaguely.... heard something. I guess Yeerks aren't totally deaf, but they can only hear slightly. Not enough to matter.  
  
Suddenly, I felt I was picked up off the floor. The Yeerk's instincts took over my body, and it felt the hands, the fingers that were holding it. Holding me.  
  
The hands moved me. They moved me in a direction I wasn't aware of. And then, all of a sudden, I felt something.  
  
The Yeerk's instincts told me to move forward. So I did. There was an opening and I went in, flattening myself out to fit the small, confined spaces.  
  
I kept going for a long time. For what seemed like days.  
  
And then, I stopped.  
  
I felt something hard, but soft. Something a bit... electric. I let my body glide over this mysterious surface, and before I could react, I felt myself sink into it! I was flattening out, wrapping around the entire spheric surface.  
  
And then, suddenly, I heard:  
  
" Yeerk! Are you there? Can you hear me, Yeerk?"  
  
I opened my eyes. Yes, I had eyes. I opened them and realized, in shock, where I was. I was inside my sister. Jani.  
  
That thing I had wrapped around was her brain!  
  
I couldn't believe it. My desperate plan had actually worked! I had been able to stop a Yeerk from controlling my sister.  
  
How? By controlling her myself.  
  
But in order to do this, in order to fool them, I needed to pass as a Yeerk.  
  
" Yeerk! Do you hear me?"  
  
I looked around, trying to figure out who was calling out to me. And then, my eyes rested on a large, bladed creature. It was one of the creatures who had held my sister captive! I faced him, trying to look indifferent, and spoke out with my sister's voice.  
  
Yes, sir, I can hear you. I said.  
  
" Good. What is your name, Yeerk?" asked the bladed creature.  
  
My name? I thought hard. My name is Orifix. ... Orifix.... One-One- Four-Four.   
  
Suddenly, my sister's spirit jolted in the back of her mind.  
  
Did you say Orifix? she exclaimed, Orifix! That's my big brother!   
  
Yes, Jani, it's me, Orifix! I told her, filled with joy. I told you I would never let anything bad happen to you.   
  
Thank you, Orifix! Thank you!   
  
Suddenly, the bladed creature interrupted our conversation. I snapped back to reality.  
  
" So, Orifix One-One-Four-Four." he said, " I am Sub-Visser Thirty-Eight, under the command of Sub-Visser Nine. I will take you back to the homeworld, and then release you into the pool so that this Andalite can be enslaved by a Yeerk of higher rank. A Visser."  
  
I nodded.  
  
Suddenly, the door slid open and the Taxxon pilot entered the room.  
  
" We have popped out of Zero-Space," he announced, " We should be arriving on the Homeworld momentarily."  
  
" Great," said Sub-Visser Thirty-Eight, " So, let's wait until we land to clear all of this up with Orifix here."  
  
" And what about the other Yeerks, sir?" asked the other bladed creature.  
  
" We discharge them into the Sulp Niar pool, along with Orifix." the Sub- Visser said. " Sub-Visser Nine says we've just received a new load of Hork- Bajir. They will all get new hosts tomorrow."  
  
New hosts. I was persuaded I wouldn't get one. I was persuaded that in a few hours, I would be back on the Andalite Homeworld with my parents... And Jani.  
  
So I waited it out. And I waited long.  
  
When we finally arrived on the Yeerk Homeworld, the Taxxon pilot climbed out, desperate to enjoy his break.  
  
" You stay here." Sub-Visser Thirty-Eight told me, " Along with these Yeerks. We're going to talk to the Vissers about this Andalite. We'll be back in about half an hour."  
  
With that, he and his bladed companion walked out of the ship, leaving me and Jani -- and the three Yeerks -- alone in the Bug Fighter.  
  
Big mistake.  
  
When they were out of sight, I picked up the portable Yeerk pool with Jani's arms and brought it outside the ship. Then, I mentally faced my sister.  
  
Listen, Jani. I said, You must get out of here. Take the ship. Press the biggest yellow button you can find. It will take you back to its previous destination. The Andalite Homeworld.   
  
But what about you? Jani exclaimed, I'm not leaving without you!   
  
If I had had my Andalite body, I would have cried.  
  
You have to. I said, Both of us can't escape at the same time. I have to stay for a while, just to make sure they don't find out where you are. Leave, Jani. Go back to the Homeworld. I'll catch up, I promise! I'll be there with you soon.   
  
Jani hesitated, but then finally agreed.  
  
Okay. I'll do it.   
  
That's my sis! I exclaimed, Now, I'm leaving.   
  
I stood in front of the portable Kandrona. Ready to demorph as soon as I got down there.  
  
Then remorph back to Yeerk as fast as I could.  
  
Goodbye, Jani. I told my sister, And good luck. I'll see you again soon.   
  
And with that, I left my sister's head. Plopped down into the sludge of the Yeerk pool.  
  
I was so confident I would succeed. I demorphed.  
  
I demorphed...  
  
Wait. Something was wrong...  
  
A wave of nauxious dread filled my body.  
  
Concentrate, Orifix! I pleaded myself, Concentrate!  
  
I forced myself to demorph. To retrieve my Andalite body. But I was in vain. And even then, I knew it was too late.  
  
I'd stayed in morph for too long. Past the two hour time limit.  
  
I was a Yeerk forever.  
  
And as I felt the vibrations of the Bug Fighter taking off, I cried as well as any Yeerk can.

Please review if you want me to continue.


	2. Chapter Two

> Hey guys, I do not own Animorphs!
> 
> Oh, and thanks for all the reviews!
> 
> **_Controller_**
> 
> **_Chapter Two_**  
  
**_Earth date: 1987  
  
Andalite date: 8564.2  
  
Yeerk date: Generation 687, early cycle, year 2123.9  
_  
**
> 
> **Orifix**  
  
At the time I thought I would never get used to being a Yeerk. But, well, I eventually did.  
  
Being a nothlit isn't so bad. I mean, it's got it's ups and downs, like everything else.  
  
I guess you have to rely on the ups to survive.  
  
It seemed like I had been in the small pool forever. I missed Jani. And the rest of my family.  
  
I still wonder if she made it out alive. If she's still wondering where I am.  
  
I guess I'll probably never know.  
  
Depressed at my fate, I curled up in the corner of the pool. And cried. At least, I think I was crying, because I don't know how -- and if -- Yeerks cry.  
  
But I knew my heart was crying.  
  
Did I even have a heart?  
  
Anyway, I waited there, in the silence, for a very long time. It seemed like a month. I waited, and waited for something to happen. And finally, something did...  
  
Are you new here?   
  
I snapped out of my thoughts. Who was talking to me? It's kind of hard to tell when you can't see anything!  
  
Huh? Was that me talking? I was making these strange little squeaks, but to me it sounded like "Huh?", so whatever.  
  
Well, at least we know you're alive, the Yeerk squeaked.  
  
How did I understand this language? I guess it must have been part of the Yeerk's instincts.  
  
Yeah, I'm alive, I muttered bitterly. I'd be kind of glad not to be, though... With this stupid life...   
  
Well, I was being rude. But I could not help it. I think you would be rude, too, if you'd just lost everything you ever had.  
  
Running in the fields with my sister.  
  
Helping my mom around the scoop.  
  
Going to the lake with my father.  
  
Even going to school!  
  
It was all gone. Gone! My life was gone!  
  
And unless the Yeerks figured out how to make the Escafil device, it would not be coming back any time soon.  
  
It was very, very hard to look on the bright side right now...  
  
... Who stepped on his Kandrona? muttered the Yeerk whom I was talking to. He definitely sounded offended. And where are those Hork-Bajir hosts they promised us?! I don't feel like being stuck in here forever, people!  
  
I think he left, then, because I didn't hear from him since.  
  
Another Yeerk then came up to me. It patted my back with one of its thin "arms".  
  
Hi, he said.  
  
Hi, I replied.  
  
I was starting to calm down. I was starting to feel a bit better. Even though I was among the creatures who kidnapped my sister.  
  
... Listen, I said. I didn't mean to offend your friend, over there. I'm just having a very bad day. They... They took away my host, a few hours... or days... ago. I apologise for hurting your friend. I hope he can forgive me.   
  
Oh, don't worry about it. said the Yeerk, She's been cranky lately. See, we've been expecting new Hork-Bajir hosts for two days, and they still haven't come. She's had a very hard life. She saw the world only once, for fifteen minutes. And ever since then, she's been here, on that Yeerk Bug Fighter, in the darkness, while the Sub-Vissers looked for Andalites, constantly telling us about the world. Hoping one day the light will come back... They've made us promises. They've turned us down so many times. And... and I don't think she can take being turned down again.   
  
I was silent. Silent, with mixed emotions. My hate and anger were slowly vanishing. They were still there, of course, but mixed with other things...  
  
Pity. And guilt.  
  
I did my best to hide my emotions.  
  
_She_? I asked, How can you _tell_? .... By that, I mean, of course, that I've never been around other Yeerks in the pool.   
  
Oh, it's quite easy to tell, the Yeerk said swiftly. Females are thinner, and of a lighter color that males.   
  
Interesting. Okay, well, at least I knew that. It was a start.  
  
So, I said, Have you ever seen the world?   
  
No. the Yeerk said, If the Hork-Bajir come, it'll be my first time. I'm actually a bit nervous.... How about you?   
  
I've seen the world, I said, I told you I lost my host days ago....   
  
I stopped.  
  
By the way, my name's Tehlit, said the Yeerk, Tehlit Two-Eight-Six. I am a male, if you can't tell. And I am four years old.   
  
Four years old. Yeerk years. In human years, that's eight. Two years older than I was. It takes two human years for a Yeerk year to pass.  
  
In Yeerk years, I would therefore be three.  
  
Nice to meet you, I said, I'm Orifix One-One-Four-Four.   
  
Suddenly, as soon as I finished saying that, I heard another voice. A familiar voice.  
  
The Yeerk female.  
  
1144? Well, that's an odd sort of number, isn't it? she said in the coldest voice I had ever heard.  
  
He didn't mean it, Edriss! yelled Tehlit, He didn't mean what he said earlier!   
  
But the female would not listen.  
  
No, no, no! I will not take this! she spat. It's not our fault we have awful lives! Do you think we have a choice?   
  
No, I... I started.  
  
If I had a choice, I would get out of here and never come back! You don't know how much I want that, mister 1144. So you just pack up your Kandrona and move out, if you have more power! Just leave, if your life is too good for us.   
  
Her last words were almost a whisper. I was crushed. Because she was right. And I hated to admit it, but I had been wrong.  
  
We had been wrong.  
  
Edriss directed her squeaks to Tehlit.  
  
They're not going to come, she said softly. The Hork-Bajir aren't coming, Tehlit.   
  
They will come. Tehlit's voice was level, but reassuring.  
  
No, they won't.   
  
Edriss swam away, leaving us to the awful, dreadful silence. After a while, I spoke.  
  
Do you really think they'll come, Tehlit? I asked, These "Hork- Bajir", I mean.   
  
Tehlit sighed. A long, pained sighed that reminded me of defeat.  
  
I don't know, Orifix. he said. For once, I really don't know. 
> 
> It took a week. One long, horrible week.  
  
But they did come.  
  
The first thing we felt was that the pool was being lifted.  
  
And Tehlit told me, It can only mean one thing...   
  
I can't believe it! Edriss. I can't believe we're finally gonna get hosts!   
  
Well, believe it, cause it's happening! said Tehlit.  
  
Their joy was incredible. And contagious. Soon, I was feeling quite perked up as well!  
  
Where are we going, again? Not only was I happy, but I was also completely clueless.  
  
The Hork-Bajir came! The Hork-Bajir came! exclaimed Edriss.  
  
Eu... I'm sorry, I know this is going to sound stupid... I said in an embarrassed voice, But... What exactly are Hork-Bajir?   
  
Hork-Bajir? asked Tehlit, What are you, an Andalite? Edriss, get this! He's never seen a Hork-Bajir!   
  
I cringed. Tehlit was making a "joke". Something related to "humor". Only certain species have the sense of humor.  
  
I think Yeerks did. But I knew Andalites didn't...  
  
And Tehlit might not have known it, but he'd just laid a finger on my greatest secret.  
  
I cringed. Good thing Yeerks are blind.  
  
Eu... An Andalite?! I tried to sound mocking, Of course not! It's just that... eu... my former host was a Gedd, and I've been working in this industry manned... eum...   
  
If there were a prize for thinking fast, I think I would have obtained it that day.  
  
... Only by Gedds. I concluded. I have heard of Hork-Bajir, but never seen one.   
  
Hork-Bajir... said Edriss pensively, They are big, bladed creatures. Mostly brown, and with horns.   
  
They have too many teeth, if you ask me. added Tehlit.  
  
And their mouths are huge beyond all reason. continued Edriss. And their laughs! Uuuugh! They could scare Sub-Visser Nine! You know, I'd love to scare Sub-Visser Nine one day...   
  
As they described the Hork-Bajir, a mental image of the two bladed creatures who kidnapped my sister shot into my head. They fit Edriss's and Tehlit's description perfectly. Hork-Bajir.  
  
Those would be our "hosts".  
  
Our hosts? I had briefly controlled Jani, but it was purely out of my morph's instincts. Could I do that again?  
  
I should have paid more attention to what I did the first time...  
  
I surely couldn't ask Edriss and Tehlit how to control a host! Every Yeerk knows how.  
  
They would figure out I wasn't, exactly, a Yeerk.  
  
I couldn't risk them knowing I was an Andalite. They were the only friends I had in this life...  
  
_... Hold on, Orifix!_ I thought to myself, _What am I thinking?! These creatures are not my friends! They are the enemy. Yeerks! They are the people who kidnapped Jani and almost enslaved her forever!  
_  
_They are the reason I am a_ nothlit...  
  
I looked around me. Or at least, I had the impression I was looking around me, since I was blind. I heard Edriss and Tehlit laughing.  
  
And this is going to sound crazy, but they... They reminded me of Jani and I.  
  
How we used to have fun together. Be normal children.  
  
And that's what these two Yeerks were. Normal, innocent children.  
  
They were not the enemy. They had no control over what the powerful individuals in their species did. What havoc they caused.  
  
Maybe they would have power some day. How could I know?  
  
But everyone can dream.  
  
And I dreamt of a better life for everyone in the universe. Of freedom.  
  
As an Andalite, that was my honor.  
  
And if three Hork-Bajir hosts was what it took for me to try and stop what the Yeerks were doing, I would accept that.  
  
I may be a Yeerk in body, but I'll never be a Yeerk at heart.
> 
> - PLAK.  
  
Edriss! Edriss, wake up, we're here! Tehlit said.  
  
What time is -- mumbled Edriss sleepily, ... We... We are?!   
  
Yeah... Wherever here is...   
  
That last one, of course, was from me. I was not only confused, I did not blame Edriss for feeling tired.  
  
We had been carried for the last hour or so. It was a long wait when you were stuck with these two Yeerks who were jumping with anticipation.  
  
We must be at the main pool. said Tehlit, Sulp Niar.   
  
Oh, really?! exclaimed Edriss, My nine-hundred eighty-four zero point five year old brothers and sisters better be well taken care of! Hi Eesha! Where's Bailon? And Jeika, Kilin and Oreh?!   
  
Please... PLEASE don't name the other nine-hundred seventy-nine! exclaimed Tehlit.  
  
Okay.   
  
Suddenly, the pool was shaken and, unwillingly, the three of us rose to the surface. Then, we heard faint, incomprehensible voices...  
  
And then...  
  
Hey guys, I'm being lifted! said Tehlit. I think I'm going to get my host!   
  
Good luck, Tehlit! I said.  
  
Yeah. Get a tall one! added Edriss, So then when you're big enough you can be taller than Sub-Visser Nine!   
  
I'll try, said Tehlit.  
  
And then, we heard nothing.  
  
We waited for about five minutes, Edriss and I. And then, it was my turn.  
  
The first thing I felt was something hard and rough surrounding me. It grasped me all around. Then, gravity did its work. I was being carried upwards.  
  
Goodbye, Edriss! I said, See you soon,   
  
See you soon! she echoed.  
  
I smiled mentally. But only because I had no mouth.  
  
Now that I sit back and think about it, it's ironic how she said that.  
  
If I'd been aware of what was in store for her, I surely would have warned her. Gave her a sign, at least.  
  
Because, like me, she was so sure her plan would succeed.  
  
But sometimes, it's at those times that reality hits you hard in the face.  
  
And it's also at those times that it hurts most.
> 
> Taking control of a Hork-Bajir was not at all difficult. All you had to do was slither in, flatten out to fit the small spaces, and follow the nerve all the way to the brain. Then flatten and wrap around it. Simple, correct?  
  
And as soon as I did these simple things, I was greatly rewarded.  
  
I saw the underground pool, Sulp Niar, and more Hork-Bajir. I heard the Sub- Vissers talk at the other end of the room. I smelled... Well, the smell was quite bad, but I was so happy to finally smell these things that I did not care.  
  
I was busy seeing, hearing, smelling and touching when another Hork-Bajir came up to me. He put his hand on my shoulder to attract my attention.  
  
Orifix, is that you? he asked.  
  
I didn't recognise the voice. But the tone, yes.  
  
Tehlit! I exclaimed. Good to see you!   
  
The Yeerk laughed.  
  
Nicely said, he complimented me.  
  
Where is Edriss? I asked.  
  
Tehlit looked at me, then pointed at his left. There was a tall Hork-Bajir holding a small, silver Yeerk. Edriss. And next to him, sitting on a stool, was a small Hork-Bajir.  
  
She's getting her host, see? Tehlit explained. In a minute she'll be along with us.   
  
I nodded. But somehow, I felt a little strange... Like there was this annoying little pinch in my Hork-Bajir stomach that just wouldn't go away.  
  
We saw Edriss slither into the Hork-Bajir's ear.  
  
Tehlit... I finally asked, Doesn't it seem strange to you that that Hork-Bajir isn't even resisting the Sub-Visser placing a Yeerk into its ear?   
  
Edriss was going deeper and deeper into the strange Hork-Bajir's ear. Suddenly, the Hork-Bajir cringed and quickly brought its hand to its ear and touched it, trying to figure out what was happening.  
  
Suddenly, Tehlit made an interesting realization:  
  
That Hork-Bajir didn't move its eyes once, Orifix! he exclaimed, Okay, there is something strange about it...   
  
I told you.   
  
I was really starting to wonder about the strange Hork-Bajir when suddenly, it got up, tripped, and fell to the ground.  
  
Was that Edriss controlling it?  
  
What is she doing?! exclaimed Tehlit.  
  
I have no idea... my Hork-Bajir eyes widened.  
  
Edriss had gotten up, and now she was running maniacally around the room. All of a sudden, she banged straight into a metal wall.  
  
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh! she shrieked, the impact sending her falling again.  
  
And then, she started screaming uncontrollably.  
  
She's gone crazy! exclaimed a Controller I recognized as Sub-Visser Thirty-Eight's henchman.  
  
Well, what are you waiting for, Eidan? exclaimed Sub-Visser Thirty- Eight, standing nearby, Catch her! Hold her back! Anything!   
  
Eidan was about to run towards Edriss, but Sub-Visser Nine stopped him.  
  
I'll handle this. he said.  
  
But... Sub-Visser, we -- started Sub-Visser Thirty-Eight.  
  
I said, I'll handle this.   
  
Sub-Visser Thirty-Eight, obviously fear-stricken by his superior, gulped and backed away. Sub-Visser Nine, on the other hand, strode off towards Edriss.  
  
When he arrived face to face with her, his eyes menacing, hers flickering with anger, he grabbed her arm and forced her to stand up.  
  
Edriss immediately calmed down a bit. She straightened herself and stopped shrieking. We thought she was over her strange fit out of nowhere...  
  
... Until she turned and spat directly in Sub-Visser Nine's Hork-Bajir face!  
  
That did it. The Sub-Visser took back his arm and quickly backed off, rubbing his face, with a look of pure disgust.  
  
The crowd that had formed went dead silent. Tehlit and I looked at each other in pure amazement.  
  
How dare you, you pathetic excuse for a Yeerk?! Sub-Visser Nine yelled. How dare you spit at me?!   
  
Me, a pathetic Yeerk? yelled a very angry Edriss, Why? Why? What did I ever do to deserve this? Wasn't I a good Yeerk? Wasn't I?!   
  
I am sorry, Sub-Visser Nine's voice was calm, stable. But I thought I saw the slightest inch of fear in his eyes... But I must admit that I have no idea what you speak of.   
  
Oh, you don't, do you? exclaimed Edriss, the air vibrating with her anger every time she spoke. Well, here is the answer, Sub-Visser Nine: I can't see! This host is blind! You gave me a blind host!! You get it? GOOD!   
  
And with that, she started running. She ran away, feeling the walls. And when she felt an opening she ran outside, away from our sight.  
  
Our sight. We were so lucky we had it... Because she didn't.  
  
Edriss had a blind host body.
> 
> Please review if you want me to continue.


	3. Chapter Three

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANIMORPHS.  
  
**_Controller _**

**by Sinister Shadow**

**Chapter Three**  
  
**Edriss 562**  
  
My name is Edriss Five-Six-Two.  
  
I am a Yeerk, of course. I always have been, and probably always will be, a blind, silver slug, flopping around in a portable Kandrona generator, desperately waiting for a good host body.  
  
A host body who hears, who speaks, who touches. And smells.  
  
And most importantly, sees.  
  
I have only had one other host body in my life. That one was capable of anything! But I used it to run. To run free for fifteen minutes.  
  
A short time, isn't it? Yes, we were only on training. You must train in a host before getting a permanent one. Tehlit and I wished the session would last forever... Of course, nothing lasts forever. I know that now. I wish I knew that then.  
  
Because at that moment, I was stuck in a blind host. I was a blind Yeerk stuck in a blind host, who was therefore unable to fend for herself in this hardcore world.  
  
But, of course, you must want to know how it all started...  
  
You must want to know... Everything.

I was born in the Sulp Niar pool, right in the middle of the Homeworld. Along with my two thousand, three hundred and sixty-two siblings. I had an abnormal number of siblings. Sulp Niar. The pool of home. That is where I get my Kandrona every three days. It's where I grew up.  
  
And strangely, many powerful Yeerks grew up there as well. Including three generations of Visser Ones.  
  
Every three days, even when I was very, very young, Visser One came to feed. And I watched him. Well, I didn't really watch him. Yes, him.  
  
That made me angry for some reason. All Vissers, even Sub-Vissers, were males.  
  
Many Yeerks told me I was different. I didn't know why, then. I didn't understand why my older sisters thought it was strange that I listened to the Sub-Vissers and the Vissers talking about military things, instead of helping the other females around the pool.  
  
Pool chores. Yuck.  
  
Military. Now that had me interested.  
  
But still, I spent a lot of time alongside my older sister, Jatani Six- Seven-Two. And she enjoyed my company, even though I was quite annoying sometimes... But the other females kept trying to encourage me to do normal things. Girl things. And I was getting tired of it. So one day, when I was two Earth years old, I finally got the guts to tell my sister that I didn't want the life she had.  
  
You know what I want to to when I'm older, Jatani? I asked.  
  
What's that? Jatani replied.  
  
I want to be a Visser!   
  
That left Jatani completely speechless. I could tell she was awed.  
  
But then she laughed.  
  
Don't be silly, Edriss... she finally said, swiftly. You know as well as I do that females... Just aren't cut out to be in the military forces. 

Then I'll be the first one, I insisted.  
  
I don't think it works that way... said Jatani, sounding a bit sorry, They will never accept you. You're a girl, Edriss. Girls just don't become Vissers.   
  
Well so much for that then, I thought.  
  
But still, something inside me knew that Jatani was wrong.  
  
I would become a Visser someday. I would make sure I did.

So I grew older. One more Yeerk year passed. I was four Earth years old now. And now, I was ready to take "training".  
  
Hork-Bajir are quite easy to control. Their ear canals are wide, and vast. And as soon as I got into the tripartite brain and assumed control over the body, I was given fifteen minutes to experience having a host.  
  
So I went running in the rain with my potential host, as I said I would, one day, when this happened. Tehlit would have ome with me, as he was my best friend for as long as I can remember, but he was very sick the day of the training.  
  
We said we'd always stick together. Even through the long, excruciating days of being packed on a ship, awaiting Andalite hosts. He wanted to become a Visser as much as I did, so I thought that would be easy.  
  
But now it wasn't the same. We lived in a different world, he and I. I lived in the darkness. He lived in the light of day.

Tehlit and I were not born in the same pool. He was born in the Ket Minar pool, a smaller pool way North-East of the homeworld. But then, his home pool got destroyed by Andalites, so he was forced to move into Sulp Niar, with my family. Tehlit was feeling down at the time. He'd lost most of his family, including Visser Twenty-Six, his older brother that he admired so much. I felt bad for him, because he was always in a corner of the pool all alone. So one day, I went over to talk to him, and we became friends. We discovered we actually had a lot in common.  
  
But not anymore.  
  
We did everything together, but we wouldn't now.  
  
How could I? I couldn't see an atom in front of me!  
  
I felt like crying. I wouldn't though. I would never cry in front of Sub- Visser Nine. No. He thought he had the best of me... Oh, he was wrong!  
  
Though this Hork-Bajir couldn't see, it could hear amazingly well. I heard the hurried footsteps coming this way. I was sure it was Sub-Visser Nine.  
  
He wouldn't cooperate with me? He humiliates me? Gives me a blind host? Well two can play at that game. I was planning to be on my absolute worst behavior until things changed around here.  
  
I was done obeying Sub-Visser Nine. I would never fear him again. Never let him give me orders. Not even in this crippled host!  
  
The footsteps were approaching fast. They were louder and louder. Definitely coming this way. Looking for me.  
  
" Edriss!" yelled a voice, " Edriss, can you hear me? It's me, Tehlit! Orifix is with me. Please come back!"  
  
" Tehlit?" I felt for the wall, and when I found it I sat down on the floor of the hallway I was in and waited.  
  
Soon I felt something grab my arm. I felt it. It was a Hork-Bajir hand, attached to another Hork-Bajir arm. Either Tehlit or Orifix.  
  
" Tehlit?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice from shaking.  
  
" It's me." replied Tehlit. " Are you alright?"  
  
" Yes, except for the fact that I can't see," I said.  
  
" Yeah, I figured that." said Tehlit in a grim voice.  
  
" Tehlit?" I asked. " What's wrong? You sound angry."  
  
" I am angry." Tehlit assured me. " At Sub-Visser Nine. We talked to him and he said there simply weren't enough host bodies to give you a new one. There are hundreds of Hork-Bajir in stock!"  
  
Tehlit grumbled something I won't repeat as he let go of my arm and walked off. The only thing I heard very clearly in his mumbling was the word "Dapsen", which is a Yeerk swear word that means something else I won't repeat. I heard pounding against the wall. I felt around for something to hold on to, and then I bumped into something soft and rough.  
  
" Wha... What is that?" I asked. " Tehlit! What is that?"  
  
" That is me," said another voice.  
  
" Orifix?"  
  
" Yes."  
  
His voice was soft. I hoped I didn't hurt him with one of my blades.  
  
Suddenly, Orifix was gone. But where could he have gone so fast? These people were playing tricks on me! I cautiously walked forward.  
  
... And then I tripped.  
  
" Whoa!" I exclaimed, falling.  
  
Something strong absorbed my fall. I felt around and touched a Hork-Bajir arm.  
  
" Orifix? Is that you?" I asked.  
  
" Yes."  
  
" Where did you go?"  
  
" I sat down, on the floor!" laughed Orifix.  
  
" Oh."  
  
Orifix set me gently on the ground beside him. I sat down. Here, I was safe, at least. Safe, but not at peace, thanks to the wailing and screaming of my host.  
  
" How am I supposed to get back to the base?" I asked. " I haven't been there in so long, I wouldn't know where it was even with my vision! I mean, that's where we're staying, am I correct?"  
  
" I... I don't know." said Orifix, uneasy. " I've never been in a base."  
  
He paused for a moment.  
  
" I'll ask Tehlit," he finally said. " Tehlit! Edriss asked how we get back to the base!"  
  
" I'm not sure if I remember the way!" said Tehlit, " But we should be able to find it once we get on the road."  
  
I couldn't wait to get back to Mitar base, my home base I had only seen once, through the corner of my eye, while I was running in my previous host body. That is where Yeerks who have hosts, mostly children, stay until they're old enough to get a job. It is like a home, except all the children live in the same house. You go to school from the base, you take Sub-Visser and Visser training from the base. Once you become a Visser you move into the Empire Building. That is where you can take training to become a member of the Council of Thirteen. That particular training is quite difficult. They say only one Yeerk out of seven thousand passes it.  
  
So most of us don't even try.  
  
" Okay, if we get on the road right now, we should be able to get to Mitar base without being seen by Sub-Visser Nine." said Tehlit. " I don't... really feel like running into him again."  
  
" Besides," added Orifix. " He thinks Edriss is in some sort of destructive state! He could try to lock her up."  
  
" But how do we get out, by the window?" I asked.  
  
" Of course," replied Tehlit. " That's the best way I can think of."  
  
There was a long silence after that. We were all thinking, just not out loud. Finally, Orifix broke the silence with a question:  
  
" But what about Edriss?" he asked Tehlit, " She can't see. So how is she supposed to get back to the base."  
  
" You carry her on you back," Tehlit replied, " She has a small Hork-Bajir, and you're bigger than I am. So she shouldn't be very heavy for you."  
  
" Eum... okay then." replied Orifix.  
  
Tehlit (at least I think it was Tehlit) came up to me and took my hand. We started walking. I trusted Tehlit enough not to feel for obstacles. When we finally stopped, I put my hands in front of me and immediately found a cold surface. It was very smooth.  
  
Glass. The window.  
  
" I'll open it," I said, pushing the button I had found on the side to slide open the window. Once it was open, Tehlit spoke up again:  
  
" Orifix will go first," he told me. " Then I'll go, and then you climb up on the window and we'll lower you down."  
  
" Got it," I said. I waited. Waited in the dark for what seemed like forever. All I could hear were the voices. They reassured me.  
  
" God, Tehlit!" exclaimed a struggling Orifix. " There is mud down here! Ick!"  
  
" Euf... You have been stuck on the Andalite Homeworld for a bit too long, my friend."  
  
" This is no joke, Tehlit!"  
  
" Oh, stop whining and get down there!"  
  
" Okay..."  
  
- PLAK!  
  
" Owwwww..."  
  
" ORIFIX!"  
  
" I'm down here already!"  
  
" Okay, I'm coming down..." said Tehlit. " Oh... It is quite dark out... Whoooaaaa!!"  
  
- PAK! BOUM!  
  
" Tehlit! That's my leg!" yelled Orifix.  
  
" Sorry." said Tehlit. " Eu... Okay, Edriss, climb on the window."  
  
" Okay..." I said.  
  
I felt the ledge before me and easily pulled myself upon it. I was sitting on the windowsill, the soft, cool, but a bit stale breeze flowing in the night, gently spilling against my Hork-Bajir face and arms.  
  
" Okay, ready?" I asked.  
  
" Yes, already," rushed Tehlit, " We have to get out of here before Sub- Visser Nine--"  
  
He didn't even have time to finish his sentence before a loud horn pierced the air. A few seconds passed before the horn sounded again. And again.  
  
" ... Sounds the alarms." Tehlit finished grimly.  
  
" Now what?!" exclaimed Orifix.  
  
" Now," I said, " We run."

What a cliffhanger, eh? Hee hee! Well, if you like this story so far, please review and I'll keep posting the chapters!  
  
'Till next time!  
  
Sinister Shadow  
  
P.S.: Did you ask questions in your reviews that you want answered about one of my Animorphs stories? Go to my BIO and you may just find your answer...


	4. Chapter Four

_**I don't own Animorphs**_

_**Controller**_

**Chapter Four**

**Orifix**  
  
Edriss was stable on my back. Tehlit had been right in saying she was not heavy at all. The alarms were sounding through a large spinning, gleaming red horn on the roof of the Sulp Niar pool building. And though it was pitch black aside from the light emitted from the horn and the windows in the building, the night was alive with Hork-Bajir-Controllers and another sort of creature that I had never before seen. This particular sort of creature was very big, almost cylindrical, and with rows of cone legs on the bottom. It was quite slow-moving, and it had four red eyes, actually below its red rimmed mouth! Fascinating. But also very unappealing.  
  
Tehlit was ready to run. I was ready to run.  
  
So run is exactly what we did.  
  
" You're leading the way, Tehlit, and don't forget it!" I told him, " You're the only one who can bring us to this Me-Star base or whatever it's called."  
  
" Mitar base, you silly Yeerk!" Edriss corrected me. " So let's hurry up and get there so I can get a new host!"  
  
" I second that option," laughed Tehlit.  
  
We ran faster. Before us lay a row of the Yeerk Homeworld's ridiculously short, long trees. And suddenly, something very strange happened...  
  
Who are you? asked a Hork-Bajir out of nowhere.  
  
" I'm Orifix!" I exclaimed, " Orifix One-One-Four-Four. You know, a Yeerk? Like you? Only good? Tehlit, there is a Controller of Sub-Visser Nine's behind us. Only... I can't seem to find where... exactly."  
  
By the way, in case you are wondering how I came up with the One-One-Four- Four, it was quite simple: I simply used the first three letters of the word "Andalite". "A" is the first letter in the alphabet (strangely, the Galard alphabet and the human alphabet are the same), therefore "One". "N" is the fourteenth letter, therefore "One-Four". And "D", the fourth letter, would be translated into "Four". Making One-One-Four-Four.  
  
Yeerks don't have last or multiple names. They only have first names. But there are so many Yeerks that they are given a number at the end of their name. The numbers don't necessarily go in order, though. It's just a way of telling them apart. So now, enough about Yeerk history! This invisible Hork-Bajir was beginning to scare me...  
  
What are you? Get out! the Hork-Bajir yelled.  
  
" I'm telling you, I have no clue what you're talking about!"  
  
" Orifix, did you say something?" asked Tehlit.  
  
" Are you okay? Why are you talking to yourself?" added Edriss.  
  
Now, I was not only confused, but also dumbfounded.  
  
" Okay, WHAT is going on here?" I exclaimed.  
  
You're telling me! added the Hork-Bajir, Can't move! Where is bark?   
  
I wondered for a moment, confused. And then, suddenly, it hit me: The Hork- Bajir wasn't behind me. It wasn't in front of me, either. It was nowhere.  
  
This Hork-Bajir was my host.  
  
My host was speaking to me!  
  
And I soon realized I could speak back to it. Alone. In my head.  
  
I could thought-speak to it.  
  
I could thought-speak again!  
  
Who are you? I asked my host.  
  
I Oketo Mesch. answered my host. You capture little sister Vec!   
  
Vec? I asked, Who's Vec?   
  
Vec Hork-Bajir on your back. Oketo said. Then, he added regretfully: Vec blind. She never see since birth.   
  
I understood. Vec was Edriss's host.  
  
But why you here? asked Oketo, Why can't I move?   
  
I explained to him the process of controlling another creature. I explained about Yeerks. About Edriss and Tehlit, and how we were stuck on a ship for months waiting to be placed into Andalites' heads to keep them controlled until we gave them to Vissers. A lie, of course. Edriss and Tehlit had done that, but not Orifix the Andalite.  
  
I then told Oketo how deeply sorry I was that his sister got captured. I had to, see, because the same thing had happened to my sister. And I remembered how painful that was for me.  
  
Don't hold it against Edriss, though, I told him. It was not her choice to take Vec. If she'd had a choice, I'm one hundred percent positive she would have picked another one. This being because Edriss yearns to see. For more than fifteen minutes, because that is the only time she's ever had.   
  
In the corner of his mind, Oketo smiled at me.  
  
From then on, I guess we sort of became friends. As good friends as a Yeerk and his host can be.  
  
We approached a building now. It was quite large, having about ten storeys. And it was wide across, too. Painted in a vivid red. I could not read the words on the large sign above the main entrance, but I think Tehlit must have known them by heart.  
  
" Mitar base!" he exclaimed in victory, " I knew we'd get here eventually! Now let's hurry up and get inside. Sub-Visser Nine's controllers can't be far."  
  
" Yes, so open the door, Tehlit," said Edriss. " It's pouring down rain out here!"  
  
" I'm on it," Tehlit assured her.  
  
He ran to the main entrance under the sign saying clearly in the Yeerk language: Gosháv Mitar. Pressed the "Open" button.  
  
In vain. The doors did not slide open. Tehlit pressed the button again. No! The doors would not open!  
  
And to top it all, we suddenly heard voices behind us. Unfamiliar voices. Well, most of them, anyway...  
  
I recognised three. And obviously, so did Edriss.  
  
" It's Sub-Visser Nine!" she exclaimed angrily, " And Sub-Visser Thirty- Eight, too!"  
  
" And Eidan," I added.  
  
" Who gives a Gedd's behind about Eidan?!" yelled Edriss. " Tehlit! Tehlit, Sub-Visser Nine is coming, we must act quickly!"  
  
Tehlit banged on the button. Then on the door. But it was no use. All the Yeerks in the building were probably sound asleep.  
  
The mud on the ground squished under Tehlit's Hork-Bajir feet as he returned, defeated, to Edriss and I.  
  
" You guys, it's no use." he said softly. " We have to hide. Sub-Visser Nine will be here any minute! He'll find us if we don't get out of here! And we--"  
  
" Who is out there? This is Aliss Nine-Four-Six. What is the problem out there?"  
  
We all turned around. Faced the doorway. There was a red light blinking over the door. It was a speaker! Someone had heard us!  
  
Tehlit rushed back to the door. But before speaking he turned back to me.  
  
" Orifix!" he said. Then he pointed at a couple of extremely large, red bushes on the side of the long building's smooth wall. " Take Edriss and hide in those bushes over there. And Orifix? If they catch me, don't come for me. I'll... I'll make it. You have to take care of Edriss. Stay with her at the base."  
  
" But Tehlit--" I started to object.  
  
" Promise me this!" Tehlit cut me off.  
  
I stayed silent for a moment, not knowing what to think. What to feel. My two Yeerk friends had become important to me, without me even realizing it. And the thought of going through in this world without Tehlit was unbearable.  
  
But on the other hand, a true friend knows his friends can count on him. And I wanted Tehlit to be able to trust me.  
  
" I promise," I finally conceded.  
  
" Thanks," he said.  
  
Then for a moment, he smiled. I smiled back. And then, Tehlit's face became stone-hard again.  
  
" Now go!" he said as I ran towards the bushes. " And Orifix?"  
  
He paused, and smiled.  
  
" Good luck."  
  
" And you are in... What sort of peril?"  
  
Edriss and I could, even at our present location within the bushes, hear that Tehlit had explained to the Yeerk on the speaker about our situation. And he or she seemed to be very confused...  
  
" We are being chased, ma'am." Tehlit said, " By Sub-Visser Nine. He gave my friend a blind Hork-Bajir host, and though there are hundreds of hosts in the stocks, he refused to cooperate by giving her a new one. So we escaped, hoping to find another host for Edriss. But they think she will be a nuisance, that she is in a destructive state, and want to lock her up. We have returned to the base in order to hide out until Edriss gets a new host."  
  
" Esplin? I cannot believe it." said the Yeerk on the speaker. " Esplin refuses to give an innocent Yeerk a seeing host?! I knew the power was going to his head..."  
  
" Wait a minute..." said Tehlit, sounding confused. " You know Sub-Visser Nine?"  
  
" Of course," replied the Yeerk in a happy tone, " He is my younger brother! My on-the-road-to-evil younger brother... But anyhow, you seem truthful. I will be down to open the doors in a few minutes. Please be patient."  
  
- Clic. The speaker shut off. Tehlit sighed happily. He raised a finger toward us in a "one instant" gesture.  
  
I smiled.  
  
" What's going on, Orifix?" Edriss whispered, kneeled down a few inches from me.  
  
" Tehlit received permission to enter the building," I said. " He signaled to us that it would only take a few more minutes."  
  
" But is a few minutes--" started Edriss, before she was interrupted by loud voices a little ways off. " Orifix, listen!"  
  
I listened. And, spreading the leaves of the bushes a bit, I also saw. And I immediately wished I didn't...  
  
To my sheer horror, I saw about fifty Hork-Bajir-Controllers running this way at full speed. We would not make it inside the building in time!  
  
" Tehlit!" I yelled, " LOOK OUT!!"  
  
- TSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWW!!  
  
Dracon Beams fired! And one of them was headed... straight for Tehlit!  
  
" Dracon Beams!" Edriss shrieked. " Orifix, what are we gonna do?"  
  
" I don't know, do you have any ideas?"  
  
" We have to save Tehlit!" yelled Edriss, " I don't care if I get killed!"  
  
With that, she ran blindly out of the bush. No! Not her too!  
  
" There she is!" yelled a voice. " Catch her!"  
  
It was Sub-Visser Nine! No!  
  
What could I do? I couldn't think straight. My mind was in a state of ultimate panic and grief. I was about to lose the two friends I had in this new life, and I was powerless to do anything about it!  
  
- TSEEEEEEEEWW! TSEEEEEEEEEEWW!!  
  
" Aaaaaahhhhh!!" yelled Edriss.  
  
She was hit!  
  
" Edriss!" yelled Tehlit, " No! NO!"  
  
I simply could not take this anymore. I found a rock on the ground. A big one. I easily picked it up with my two strong arms that wouldn't have been so strong should I still have been in my Andalite body.  
  
And then, I ran at full speed out of the bush. I recognized Sub-Visser Nine quickly. He was easy to recognize with his green band wrapped diagonally around one shoulder, his chest, and coming back up to the shoulder.  
  
I aimed at him. Yes, at Sub-Visser Nine. Threw the rock as hard as I could. And, well, if there's one thing I was able to keep from my Andalite self was my excellent aim.  
  
The rock hit at dead center of the Sub-Visser's side of head.  
  
He yelled in pain and slumped to the ground, unconscious.  
  
" Almost as effective as a tail," I muttered to myself.  
  
" Orifix, help!" yelled Edriss.  
  
I snapped out of the reverie caused by my small victory and shot my eyes in front of me. Edriss was being dragged away unwillingly by two Hork-Bajir- Controllers.  
  
" They've got me!" she yelled, " Let me go! Let me go, you idiots!"  
  
As soon as she said that, the door to the base behind me opened and out came a taller Hork-Bajir-Controller.  
  
" WHAT is going on on my base grounds?!" the Controller yelled.  
  
Everybody immediately froze. Except Edriss. She screamed and wailed, kicking at spitting at her captors.  
  
" Release me!" she yelled. " Orifix! Tehlit! These guys are crazy! Run away while you still can!"  
  
But Tehlit was busy trying to get the taller Yeerk's attention.  
  
" Ma'am!" he said, " Stop them, please!"  
  
" There are Sub-Vissers here." the Yeerk said, " I'll do my best, but I doubt they will listen."  
  
Suddenly, Sub-Visser Nine rose to his feet. He looked at me in black anger. Straight at me. And then he turned to his servants.  
  
" Bring the female to the ship!" he said. Then he turned to me. " That foolish child assaulted me! Get him!"  
  
And then, in front of my own eyes, Hork-Bajir-Controllers ran at me, their Dracon Beams pointed. I was absolutely terrified.  
  
Yet, they would not win. I would make sure of it.  
  
" Tehlit!" I called, " Get inside the base. Save yourself! At least one of us will be safe. They won't win as long as we're not all captive! Now go."  
  
" I will get you out of there, Orifix!" he promised me. I saw a tear roll down his Hork-Bajir cheek. I guess Hork-Bajir can cry. " Take care of Edriss for me..."  
  
He put on a brave smile. So did I.  
  
And so, I watched as he and the tall Hork-Bajir hurried into the base and shut the door. And I turned back towards Edriss. She had been knocked unconscious by one of her captors. There was no saving her now.  
  
Or me, either.  
  
All I could do was wait until they caught me. Until they dragged me to a life of imprisonment.  
  
So I stood there, defenseless, as the Hork-Bajir-Controllers grabbed me by the arms. I walked willingly to the ship with them. They were awed at my behavior. I liked that.  
  
I was okay with all this. Because I knew I could trust Tehlit. I knew that he would make sure that one day, someday, Edriss and I would see the light of day again. Both of us.  
  
And I also knew it would be a hard and painful journey for all of us. Edriss. Tehlit. Even Sub-Visser Nine would have a hard time with us, especially Edriss. The Yeerk in charge of the base.  
  
They all would be involved in this. In this extremely long trial that was now my life. And I was also involved, of course.  
  
And you know what? I was ready. The Andalite that I was could accept this new life. As long as I had my friends, I could go through anything. The Andalite in me was ready for any challenge that I'd face. I was more determined than ever.  
  
And slowly, I realized that the Yeerk part of me was determined, too.  
  
**PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE.**


	5. Chapter Five

**_Controller_**

**Chapter Five**  
  
**Tehlit 286**  
  
''Tehlit Two-Eight-Six?" asked a voice I didn't recognize, " The Minister wants you to wake up now. She prepared some food for you."  
  
At first I didn't move. Then, reluctantly, I got out of bed and followed the newly met Hork-Bajir-Controller into the hall, the door closing behind us.  
  
My name is Tehlit Two-Eight-Six. And this morning, I was in a very bad mood.  
  
It was the crack of dawn, the dawn of a new day. And for me, it was also the dawn of a new life. A life without my best friends, Edriss and Orifix.  
  
A life dedicated to setting them free again.  
  
" Hi, I'm Kitek," said the Hork-Bajir-Controller walking beside me. " Kitek Eight-Nine-Three. From the Ket Minar pool."  
  
I stopped dead in my tracks. Ket Minar? That was my home pool! When I was one Yeerk year old, it was destroyed by the Andalites. Over twenty thousand Yeerks living inside it got killed by the blast. But not me. I was one of the few survivors. And so, I supposed, was Kitek Eight-Nine-Three.  
  
" Are you okay?" Kitek asked me, " Tehlit? What is wrong?"  
  
" Oh, euh... Nothing," I said quickly. " It's just... the Ket Minar pool..."  
  
" I see," Kitek finished for me, " You were born there also."  
  
She smiled. I was in awe.  
  
And it was at that moment that I realized that if there was one Yeerk who could help me find my friends, one Yeerk who could be a good partner and a sincere help, it was Kitek.  
  
So I told her of my problem.  
  
" Eum, Kitek?" I asked, " I don't know how to put this... But I need your help."  
  
When I was done telling her my story, Kitek and I were already sitting in the cafeteria where they served our hosts' food. She was chewing thoughtfully on a piece of bark while looking at me with very wide eyes.  
  
" So you're saying..." she swallowed a bit hard. " That your friend has a blind host body and Sub-Visser Nine refused to give her a new one, and captured her on top of that? Along with your other friend?"  
  
" Precisely," I assured her.  
  
" The freak!" exploded Kitek, " The idiot! I have always hated him... Of course I'll help you find your friends!"  
  
The grin on my Hork-Bajir face stretched from ear to ear. With Kitek's help, Edriss and Orifix would be out of there in no time!  
  
But somehow, I felt I needed more. If Kitek was helping already, imagine what it would be like if we had more people on our side?  
  
I shared my idea with Kitek, and she agreed to help me spread the word. By tomorrow morning, we would hopefully have all the kids at the base aware of what was happening to my friends.  
  
Another advantage we had was that Kitek was very popular with the Yeerks her age at the base. So as soon as we were done eating, Kitek led me to the room in which the kids like to just sit and talk, or play with their friends.  
  
" Okay," she whispered. " Luckily for us, today is not a school day. So we'll have time to tell a lot of people. But we have to hurry up since training is at eleven."  
  
" ... Training?" I asked, a little nervous about what could be awaiting me.  
  
" Of course, training!" exclaimed Kitek, " Tehlit, where have you been all this time? War training! One day, we'll all have to fight. And, in my case, follow orders from the males. Sub-Vissers. Vissers. You must know that females can't have those ranks. We're more specialized in sciences and stuff. We build ships, too. I'd like to build a ship one day."  
  
" Yeah?" I asked, " Well, when you meet Edriss you'll discover that you two won't have much in common. She actually wants to be a Visser. Why? I have no idea."  
  
" Still, I want to meet her." said Kitek, " So let's hurry up and tell people your story!"  
  
I nodded. She was right. So we ventured into the room and started talking to Yeerks. And as we told my story, I could see so clearly everything that had happened not so long ago... Meeting Orifix for the first time. How Edriss had been angry at him...  
  
When Edriss received her host body, and us running away from Sub-Visser Nine.  
  
And how we were so close to making it. All of us together. If we had arrived a few minutes earlier, we would be in a whole different situation...  
  
After a while, we were finally done telling everyone in the room. It had been quite easy since once we started telling one Yeerk, the rest of them all grouped up around us to listen to the story.  
  
" And so," I concluded, " That is why we need your help. We're planning to go out there and find my friends as soon as we're done making a bit of a plan. So, who's with me?"  
  
" I'm in," said a Yeerk more at the back.  
  
" Yeah, me too," said the tallest one.  
  
A shorter one right in front of Kitek and I then added:  
  
" An adventure? Count me in!"  
  
That one really reminded me of Edriss.  
  
And the Controllers kept on profounding the collective agreement. Soon, we had ten Yeerks out of the thirteen we had spoken to who were willing to help us.  
  
As Kitek and I walked toward the "training" area, at eleven o'clock, Kitek was very, very excited. And so was I. But she was showing it more.  
  
" You know, I think ten people will be enough, don't you think?" she asked with a large smile, " Plus us, that makes twelve. That's enough. I mean, we can't just drag twenty people with us. That would be far too obvious."  
  
" Yes, ten is enough," I agreed. " So tonight, we can start planning."  
  
We kept walking down the long corridor until we got to the doors that led to training.  
  
And let me tell you, training is no picnic...  
  
" Euf!" Kitek sighed, letting herself fall on the bed in my room, " That was hard!"  
  
It was seven o'clock now. Training had just ended. We had an hour intermission to eat, since Hork-Bajir eat twice a day, at four o'clock, and at five we were back on the training field. Training included Dracon Beam drills, combat training (one on one with another Hork-Bajir-Controller), running for thirty minutes... You get it, it was excruciating.  
  
One bad thing about being a male Yeerk, though, is that once you are eight point five Yeerk years -- or seventeen Earth years -- old, you must take Sub-Visser training. It is not an option. And it lasts six hours a day for eight months! I didn't know if I'd be able to survive that.  
  
Visser training is optional, though. If you want to remain a Sub-Visser, you don't have to take Visser training. Vissers work harder. And you must take a test before even going into training: From your performance on that test the Minister in charge of Vissers' training decides if you are eligible for Vissers' training.  
  
I didn't want to become a Visser. Okay, fine, I'll admit it. I wanted to, but it was too hard. I'm sort of lazy. Visser training lasts ten hours a day, for eight point five months.  
  
But see, I may have to one day: I promised Edriss that should she ever be accepted in taking the test for Vissers' training, I'd take it with her.  
  
I doubted she'd ever be accepted. I mean, there has never been a female Visser. Not even Sub-Visser! But would I tell her that? Not in a million years!  
  
She may not be eligible to become a real Visser, but I'll tell you she already has a Visser's attitude. She can make anyone -- and I mean anyone: even Sub-Visser Nine, for God's sake -- afraid of her. And she's not afraid of anything.  
  
Except, just maybe, the fact that she doesn't know when -- and if -- she'll be able to see again...  
  
" Okay, Kitek," I said, " You did tell everyone to meet in my room, didn't you?"  
  
" Yeah, she told us."  
  
I spun around. Three Hork-Bajir-Controllers, the smaller one who reminded me of Edriss, a taller one and a shorter one than even the Edriss-in- training. The taller one had a chip in his right blade. He was the one who spoke.  
  
" The others should be arriving soon," Edriss-in-training assured us. " In the meantime, do you have all the necessary planning material?"  
  
I was in awe. If Edriss had an identical twin, it would definitely be this Yeerk!  
  
And then, a thought crossed my mind... Could it be? No...  
  
" What's your --" I started, adressing Edriss-in-training.  
  
" Anati Five-Six-Two," she replied, " ... Well, what did you expect? If somebody tells me my sister is in peril, then obviously I am going to help!"  
  
" You are Edriss's sister?" I asked, " And you have the same number, but not the same name... Which means..."  
  
" We would have been twins," said Anati, " But I was three weeks late. And she was two weeks early."  
  
Kitek looked at me.  
  
" I never knew Edriss had siblings at this base," she said.  
  
" Well, she has two thousand and twenty-nine of them in all," I said, " Some of them were bound to end up here."  
  
" And I guess we found her would-be twin," added Kitek.  
  
I looked around the room, not paying much attention to Kitek. Anati was right. We would need planning equipment. I strode over to the floating table beside my bed, and picked up a couple holographic maps of the area and my portable laptop, and came back towards the group.  
  
At that moment, five other Hork-Bajir-Controllers and one Taxxon-Controller entered the room. All that was missing was one.  
  
" Okay, everyone, listen up," I said.  
  
The door was closed. I had placed a hologram on the window earlier that made it look like there was no one in the room. We didn't want any non- members knowing what we were doing, for fear of them going to rat everything to the Minister.  
  
" While we're waiting for the last member to show up," I continued, " I want everyone to come sign their name on the computer over here. It's a list of members. By doing this you pledge to help us with our mission, so think before signing."  
  
Everyone rushed to the computer. Kitek and I had already signed our names to give everyone an example. When the list was done, it looked like this:  
  
**Members of the Freedom Project  
  
Tehlit 286  
  
Kitek 893  
  
Janoki 443  
  
Anati 562  
  
Aneiko 211  
  
Mahir 211  
  
Oria 0556  
  
Zedan 1144  
  
Akalis 3422 (the prime)  
  
Essor 351  
  
Odanji 216  
**  
" There," I said proudly. " That's great!"  
  
Everyone had signed my list. Now, I was more excited than ever: We had eleven members in our group! We were just about ready to start the plan...  
  
Except for one thing: The last member hadn't shown up yet. Where was he? I was really starting to worry about that when suddenly...  
  
- SWOOSH.  
  
The door swung open, revealing a Hork-Bajir-Controller around the same size as I was. He entered the room with a straight posture, looked back behind him, smiled embarrassedly, and ran back to close the door behind him.  
  
" Sorry I'm late," he said apologetically, " Family business."  
  
I had absolutely no sympathy for this Yeerk. First he was late, then he almost broke my door, risking our cover being blown to bits!  
  
" Yes..." was all I found to say, though I said it bitterly. " What's your name?"  
  
" Essam Two-Nine-Three," he replied. " I swear, it was family business! What are you, a Sub-Visser?"  
  
" No," I said, very angry now, " Just sign your name on the computer and we can begin, already!"  
  
Essam obeyed, walking to the computer and adding his name to the list. I watched him the whole time. Expecting him to make some sort of mistake. To ruin something on purpose.  
  
I had absolutely no type of trust for him. I mean, did I know I was looking at my future best friend? Obviously not!  
  
When he was done, he walked off, leaving me to speak to the waiting crowd.  
  
" Okay," I said, calmer now, " Let's start, shall we?"  
  
Everyone nodded. And then, we got started on the plan.  
  
It took us four hours. Four long hours of discussing and writing down.  
  
But I will tell you that after those four hours, we had a plan. A pretty good plan, even.  
  
And, well, as everyone went in their separate directions for the night, we were as ready as we'd ever be...  
  
**PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE...**


	6. Chapter Six

****

**_Controller_**

**__**   
  
**Chapter Six**  
  
**Edriss 562**  
  
Screams. That was the last thing I heard. The last thing I heard before my mind, my heart, my soul all faded into blackness beyond the one I already knew...  
  
And it wasn't until long after that that I came back again.  
  
" Edriss? Wake up, Edriss!"  
  
I opened my eyes, hoping for the best...  
  
And saw nothing.  
  
" Who is there?" I asked, frustrated.  
  
" It's me," said the same soft voice. " Orifix."  
  
" Orifix?" I asked, " But... Where are we?"  
  
Orifix was silent for a moment.  
  
" We are... In a sort of strange room..." he finally said. " The floor is polished, a green color. There is a computer here. A couple of chairs and about twenty floating tables and shelves. There are things on the shelves. Papers and stuff. I don't know exactly what they are, since I've been busy this whole time trying to unlock the God darn door! And the walls... The walls are blue a light blue. Strange color..."  
  
" Blue?" I asked, confused. Then, I added quietly: " I've never seen the color blue."  
  
Orifix was quiet for a moment. So was I. And then, I heard him move, standing up. He walked towards who-knows-where and then stopped. I heard ruffling.  
  
" If you're confused, I'm trying to figure out what's on these papers," said Orifix. " There must be a clue somewhere."  
  
I stood up and tried to find him. Walked around the room, happy to be able to stretch my legs. I felt around for a wall or something to hang on to...  
  
- PAK!  
  
... And stumbled over a low-floating table. This blindness was starting to seriously get on my nerves!  
  
" Aaaargh!" I yelled.  
  
I heard Orifix laughing.  
  
" This is not funny..." I assured him.  
  
He picked me up and set me on the ground in front of him.  
  
" I know," he said. " When my first host got taken away from me and I had to be blind again I was devastated. I know how you feel."  
  
I smiled. And then, suddenly, I had that devastating feeling. You know, that feeling you get when you just know something is missing?  
  
And I think I knew what was missing...  
  
" Orifix?" I asked, " Where's Tehlit?"  
  
" Tehlit?" repeated Orifix, " I wondered when you'd realize he wasn't here... Okay, Edriss. You must not be angry..."  
  
" Where is he?!" I almost yelled.  
  
" I... I told him to stay behind," Orifix finished. " I thought it would be better for all of us if one of us stayed and figured out how to get the other two out. Tehlit decided to stay, and --"  
  
" Are you crazy?" I shrieked, " Sub-Visser Nine will find him! He'll Dracon Beam him to death in his sleep!!"  
  
Orifix grasped my shoulders in his strong Hork-Bajir hands. Firmly, but softly.  
  
" You must understand." he whispered, " Tehlit's choice was to stay there. Before I was taken, he promised me that someday, he'd come to find us. And I trust him to do so. He chose to stay. He could have chosen to try and save us and get himself killed. Is that what you want?"  
  
Of course not! How could Orifix think that I wanted Tehlit dead? Who was he to think that? Tehlit was my best friend!  
  
I was overwhelmed with all this. My life was slowly, but surely, spiraling downward. It was all too frustrating!  
  
" No!" I replied to Orifix, offended, " I do not wish for my best friend to die, you idiot!"  
  
I pulled away roughly from his grip. Turned and ran. And banged into a wall.  
  
My wrist blade pierced the wall's material. The impact sent me crashing to the ground. I screamed. And then, before I could stop myself, I started crying.  
  
It is definitely not in my nature to cry. Before this moment, I never had more than a few quiet, hidden tears. But now I was sobbing more than even I could control. Crying uncontrollably, devastatingly. And even blind as I was, I knew that fear had by now inhabited Orifix's soul.  
  
A fear of me. A fear of what I could pull off if I had to.  
  
Now it wasn't only my eyes who were blind. My mind was also blind. Blinded by the pain, the misery I held inside.  
  
Nothing was clear anymore. The only thought running through my mind was: Destroy! Make them fear me!  
  
I wanted revenge. I hated the world for what it had done to me. I wanted Orifix to fear me. I wanted Sub-Visser Nine to quake in his Hork-Bajir body at the simple sight of me.  
  
I wanted everyone to fear me! _Everyone_!  
  
I screamed. Screamed as loud as I could for all to hear.  
  
I cannot describe the anger, the misery I felt. It was beyond words. Beyond action.  
  
But I thought action would help. I thought that if everyone feared me they would all just go away and leave me alone...  
  
I wanted this to be a nightmare. I wanted to just wake up and be back at home, in Sulp Niar, lining up to get my SEEING host.  
  
But I knew this was no dream. It was real. It was all real!  
  
I ran. I just ran, not knowing where I was going. Slammed violently into a window.  
  
- CRASH!  
  
The glass shattered. I heard a shriek behind me.  
  
It was Orifix.  
  
" Edriss!" he yelled, " Edriss, have you gone mad?!"  
  
I didn't answer. Just kept running. Destroyed everything I could find. I ripped up every single paper I could get my hands on. Let my blades scrape the tables and shelves.  
  
" Edriss, stop!" Orifix. " STOP!"  
  
Suddenly, I heard a loud bell go off. Then, voices! The voices were coming nearer, nearer...  
  
Until suddenly they were here! They were in the room. And even as I continued my destructive rampage, I heard everything they said.  
  
" What?!" shrieked a voice I recognized as Sub-Visser Nine, " What is going on in this room?"  
  
" Oh God!" yelled Sub-Visser Thirty-Eight, " Sub-Visser Nine, the window! That Yeerk has gone absolutely mad! She broke the window!"  
  
" That explains the crash we heard a while ago..." said Eidan.  
  
" I will not have this!" Sub-Visser Nine roared.  
  
His footsteps accelerated. I shot down to the ground, fearing he was coming for me. I screamed and pounded the slick floor with my fists, scratching it with my blades.  
  
But it wasn't me Sub-Visser Nine wanted...  
  
It was Orifix.  
  
" Hey!" he yelled, " Let me go! You can't do this! Edriss! Edriss!"  
  
Suddenly, I stopped pounding. I was breathing fast. The world, the voices and the noises around me seemed to slowly make sense again.  
  
" Orifix?" I said softly.  
  
" No!"  
  
Orifix was sobbing now. His voice was far off. He was being taken away!  
  
" We can't have her killing you," Sub-Visser Nine said coldly. " You are male. You will serve one day. But Edriss Five-Six-Two will only be a nuisance. Eidan. Sub-Visser Thirty-Eight. Lock her up in that room! She will learn to behave or else she will have to be terminated."  
  
Orifix shrieked.  
  
" No! Edriss! _Edriss_!" he yelled. " Let me go back. Let me stay with her!"  
  
" It is Sub-Visser Nine's orders that you stay away from her," said a voice I didn't recognize.  
  
" Orifix!" I yelled.  
  
I was scared. Scared to death of being alone. Alone in the darkness that was my life.  
  
" Edriss!" he yelled back, " I will return! Trust me! AAH! Let me go! Let me go! Edriss..."  
  
He sobbed. Eventually, his sobs got weaker, dimmer, until they completely vanished.  
  
We were on different roads now, I realized. We were all alone to continue in our own directions.  
  
Tehlit. Orifix and I. We were separated on our roads.  
  
And even then, I knew our paths would cross again.  
  
One week passed. One excruciatingly long week. Nine days (Nine days is a week for us Yeerks) of being gunpointed to the Yeerk pool with shackles on my wrists, a tail restraint and indestructible cloths on all my blades. Nine days of hearing the crowd of Controllers at the pool saying things like: " Hey, what's with that Yeerk?" or " Probably some delinquent kid who got into some serious trouble." or even, the most hurtful of them all: " Tsk tsk... That's what you get for being a traitor."  
  
I spent the previous week in confinement, alone. Everyone was too afraid of me to even come within a mile of my room except for feeding days.  
  
I guess I got what I wanted...  
  
Today, I was doing what I usually did since I got here. Sitting on the floating chair in the middle of the room and rocking it back and forth. It was relaxing. It was the only relaxing thing in my life.  
  
Anyhow, I was sitting there, when suddenly someone knocked on the door.  
  
" Who is it?" I snapped.  
  
" Eum... I'll tell you if you let me come in," said a voice. " I've unlocked the door, but I need you to open it. You've got the remote."  
  
I rolled my eyes and blindly reached on the floating table beside me for my remote. The floating table I had was the only one I hadn't destroyed yet.  
  
My fingers closed on the remote and I pressed the largest button. The largest button right in the center was "Door", as Orifix had told me before he was taken away.  
  
I listened as the door slid open.  
  
My ears picked up the sound of footsteps. I did not yet trust this Controller. I stood up. Started walking cautiously towards the sound. Strode over to meet the new arrival.  
  
Oh no! I had forgotten to close the door! I grasped the remote, still in my hand, pushed the button, and the door slid closed.  
  
" So," I said, " Tell me now who you are."  
  
" My name is --"  
  
- DRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNG!!!  
  
" INTRUDER!" yelled a voice far away, " Catch him!"  
  
Suddenly, I felt two hands grasp mine.  
  
" We must run." said the intruder softly, " I will tell you all soon."  
  
" Oh, no." I tried to object. " Wait just one second... I can't leave without -- Whoa!"  
  
I was being lifted! My feet were no longer on the ground. I was scared. I wrapped my arms around the intruder's shoulders for support. He was holding me tightly enough for me to feel safe, but come on! I had never even previously met this Yeerk!  
  
The intruder ran with me in his arms, spun to the side and crashed right through the newly restored window!  
  
And then, he lost his balance and fell on the ground outside.  
  
" Aaaaah!" I shrieked.  
  
The intruder gasped, trying his best to catch me. His efforts were in vain. I fell right on top of him, my wrist blade inches from his throat.  
  
" Well," he choked, " That was a nice way to start a conversation!"  
  
" Essam!" yelled a voice I didn't recognize, " What the hell are you doing over there?! Get back here, and quick! We don't have all day, you know!"  
  
And then... Sub-Visser Nine came in. Quite startingly.  
  
" There he... Eidan, where is he?" asked the Sub-Visser. " And where the hell did Edriss Five-Six-Two run off to?!"  
  
" Why, I don't know, sir..." said Eidan.  
  
" Well, FIND THEM, you idiot!!" roared Sub-Visser Nine.  
  
" Yes sir!"  
  
" Run..." whispered the Yeerk named Essam.  
  
And that's what we did. Well, he ran, I was being carried. And unluckily for Eidan, by the time he got to the window, we were already far off...  
  
But luckily for him, not far enough!  
  
" Edriss!" this was... Tehlit!  
  
" Tehlit?!" I yelled.  
  
When we got close to Tehlit, Essam set me down inches from him, and I ran to hug my best friend.  
  
Tehlit cried of happiness. I didn't, of course. As I said, crying is not my kind.  
  
But I smiled. Yes, smiled. In fact, I smiled for the whole time I was happy.  
  
Which, unfortunately, didn't last long.  
  
" There they are!" yelled Sub-Visser Nine. " Catch them! Catch them all!"  
  
We could have run away. Ran as fast as we could. But we wouldn't have made it very far anyway. They were too close. Too near to escape.  
  
And they caught us again.  
  
Only this time, they caught all of us.  
  
Now what chance did we have to be free?  
  
I didn't know. But I hoped to God somebody else did.  
  
**PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE!**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

**Orifix**

I weeped in silence. Cried until there were no more tears left. Why did they have to do this? Who were these Yeerks to take me away like that?

My life had been taken away from me. Again. The life I was only starting to get used to.

The life I was only starting to love.

Suddenly, a ray of light came over me. The light was so intense I could not look at it and expect to see a single thing.

The only thing I could do was hear. And hear, I did.

" Is somebody in there?" asked a small, whispering voice.

" Yes!" I yelled, so happy I was finally among life again. "My name is Orifix One-One-Four-Four. Can... Can you get me out of here? I need to find my friends..."

" Of course," the voice said. "But if I do so you must help me in exchange."

" I'll do anything!" I quickly said.

It is unlike Andalites to beg. To plea. But I'll bet that no Andalite had ever been in this situation before...

" Here's the deal," said the voice. "You are Tehlit Two-Eight-Six's friend, are you not? Well, he sort of got captured. Along with the rest of us. There is only me and some guy named Essam Two-Nine-Three left. You must help us free the others."

" Deal." I said, "But you must help me free Edriss from her prison as well."

" Of course! That is quite obvious," said the voice, "I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself: I'm Anati Five-Six-Two, Edriss's sister! So you should be able to count on me to help save her, shouldn't you?"

I was awed. No wonder this Yeerk has sounded quite a bit familiar...

" Eu... Yes." was all I found to say.

With Anati's help, and extra help from the Yeerk named Essam, I was dragged out of the hole the two of them had made in my cell. Yes, a cell. The place was sinister, shallow, and had gray walls made out of the hardest metal you could ever imagine. I did not know how Anati had managed to make a hole in it. I was just extremely glad she did...

When I exited my prison, I saw the light of day for the first time in what seemed like forever.

" Aaaah..." I sighed, sucking in as much of the clean air as I could.

We were outside. Outside the gray building that was Sub-Visser Nine's headquarters.

And once again, we would need to think of a plan.

Hopefully, this one would be flawless.

" Well, Essam has a plan," said Anati while we ran, hoping to find a place to hide so that Sub-Visser Nine could not see us, "But I really doubt that it'll work."

" In a situation like this," I sighed, "Any plan is better then no plan. Tell us, Essam."

" Well," Essam started, "We go over to the ship hangar and steal a Bug Fighter. Then, we --"

" First of all, that would be nearly impossible," Anati.

" Would you quit interrupting me?!" Essam.

" Sorry."

" ANYWAY," continued Essam. "Then, we fly the ship back here, park it right in front of the building, go into that room where Edriss is, take her, and bring her back to the base by ship. There's no way Sub-Visser Nine is going to catch us. Oh, and we must do it by night: Everyone will be sleeping."

" Great," I said, "But what about the others? Besides Edriss, I mean."

" We'll come back for them as soon as Edriss is safe," replied Essam. "She is our main priority. Tehlit specifically told us: ' Never mind us, just get Edriss out!'"

I looked at him. Maybe a bit obnoxious, but definitely loyal.

" Okay, let me ask this question again..." Anati said in an I'm-not-impressed sort of tone, "... How are we going to steal a ship?"

Let me just tell you that Anati's question was a very good one.

A very good question, with a very bad answer...

" THIS is your plan?" exclaimed Anati, "Essam, you've GOT to be kidding me."

" Yes, eu... I hate to admit it, but I believe Anati is right..." I said, "How are we going to pull this off?"

It had taken us an hour and a half by foot to get to the hangar. We had settled behind a thick, tall red bush, away from the sight of any workers who might be passing by. And as I listened to Essam's plan in detail, I prayed to all the lords -- Yeerk and Andalite, and even Hork-Bajir! -- that we would live to free Edriss and the others...

Oketo, my host, had filled me in on many Hork-Bajir traditions and similar things. And now, we was not impressed...

If Hork-Bajir caught doing your plan at home, he warned me, Hork-Bajir be dead. But I cover for you if you gone.

Wow, thanks Oketo, I said.

I was truly flattered that Oketo would cover for a guy who completely overtook his freedom.

I guess Hork-Bajir aren't such a bad race at all.

They may look a little scary on the outside, but they aren't scary at all at heart.

" Okay," whispered Essam, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Let's just go over the plan one more time. "Those Hork-Bajir in the cage, ready for infestation? We go over with our hosts, and as subtlely as possible, infest them. We grab the key from the sleeping Taxxon 'guarding' them, get out of the cage, hope to God Visser One and two of his henchmen aren't in that building... And we pretend to be them. They'll never doubt anything, because I've got this!"

Suddenly, I noticed a little pouch attached to Essam's left elbow blade. He busied himself untying it, and when he succeeded he pulled out two vividly gold bands of material.

" That's right," said Essam in front of Anati's awed expression, "Visser One's personal guard arm bands."

" How did you get those?!" exclaimed Anati, "They sell one on E-Market for like, one million coins! Plus, if Edriss were here, I swear to God she'd be having a heart attack and offering you even her own host for one of those things!"

" I had a mid-cycle job last year cleaning up the Empire Building," Essam replied, "I know the place by heart. So one day I was cleaning Visser One's room and--"

" You cleaned Visser One's ROOM?!?" Anati was having a hysteric attack.

" Yes... And I stumbled upon these two arm bands. I only have two, so one of us will have to pretend to be Visser One himself."

" Eum, excuse me?" I asked softly, "Can that sort of... not be me?"

" Yeah, Orifix has a point..." added Anati, "What if we get caught? We'll be charged on gazillions of accounts of fraud by impersonation!"

" You know," said Essam, coldly but softly, "From what I've seen of Edriss back at Sulp Niar, she'd be all for this plan in order to save you."

" Yeah?" challenged Anati, "And how long have you been stalking my sister?"

Essam looked gravely offended by Anati's comment. He opened his mouth in order to object, but I interrupted.

" Listen, people," I said, "We're wasting time here. We are not going to save our friends by sitting here behind this bush arguing. So I say we do this plan, no matter what the risk."

" Oh, alright," Anati rolled her eyes, finally conceding.

" But... who's Visser One?" asked Essam.

Anati and I looked at each other, then at Essam. A wave of horror swept over his Hork-Bajir face as he realized what we were simulteanously thinking.

" Oh no." said Essam, "No, no, no, no, NO! I absolutely refuse!"

But we weren't paying any attention to Essam's complaints. Anati and I simply smiled as we slipped on the two arm bands.

The guards were more than shocked. They were disbelieving.

What could Visser One possibly be doing in such a badly maintained building as this?

" Everyone please remain calm," Anati said in what she hoped to be a reassuring tone, even though I seriously doubted that Hork-Bajir even had a reassuring tone, "We are simply here for an inspection of this building. And stay out of the Visser's way should you wish to remain alive!"

" Yes," I added, "We have received notice that... that some illegal... eum... combustible products have found their way into one of your Bug Fighters. Nothing to worry about, though. These products will be found eliminated soon. Please carry on with your work."

We followed "Visser One" down the long main hallway of the Yeerk ship hangar, passing many curious, even some suspicious faces...

The building was quite large. The roof was domed all the way down the floor, in such a way that the entire lobby of the building seemed like a gigantic half-circle.

The roof itself was made of a smooth, transparent glass, allowing the light of day (the light not being very evident because the sun never came out on this planet) to shine on the solid but smooth turquoise walls. The floor was soft and cushiony. It almost felt like walking on clouds.

Inside this half-circle of a building, some workers worked on ship parts, some just sat in corners filling out paperwork. And, of course, there was a receptionist sitting behind a desk.

He was the one giving out the paperwork.

But we didn't need to talk to him. Of course not! What kind of a Visser One would actually stop to talk to a minor receptionist?!

Essam was playing his part perfectly. Barking orders to us that normally we never would have taken.

" Guards!" he yelled, "Open that door."

" Yes, Visser," Anati and I said at the same time.

We stepped forward and opened the gray metal door at the end of the lobby, under curious, watchful eyes from the many workers.

Our plan was working, so far. Wonderfully, even.

We emerged into a room much more vast than the first. This one had only two windows, though they were quite large, on the right and left walls. Anati said each of the walls had to measure at least eighty-five dahmis (a dahmi is equivalent to a meter and eighty centimeters) in height. Twice that much in length. The walls were gray in color, and closed around the extreme amount of ships in the room.

The only visible light came from the two windows.

That would help us. A lot.

" Okay, guards," said Essam, "We will start with this ship, over here."

He pointed to a very small ship in a corner, smaller than most of the others. And still, it was large enough to easily accomodate five people, and probably many more if you squeezed together.

" Yes Visser," we said.

With that, the three of us strode off to the small ship with Essam in the lead.

Once we arrived at the door of the ship, Essam ordered us to open it. Of course, we obeyed. If we hadn't, that would be the end of our plan...

We arrived inside only to smell something awful. And I mean awful! We closed the door of the ship behind us, and walked cautiously towards the smell. When we got to the controls of the ship, we found a large creature sleeping on the floor. This creature was familiar to me. I had seen some before: Creatures with red-rimmed mouths and rows of cone legs.

" Taxxon," said Anati, annoyed.

" What is this "Taxxon" doing here?" I asked, " Aren't the ships supposed to be evacuated when they are dropped off here?"

" Yeah," agreed Essam. "I guess this one just fell asleep on the job."

I looked at them. Then at the sleeping Taxxon.

" Eu, guys... How are we going to exit this place?" I asked.

" Well..." said Essam, "We just wait until someone leaves by the roof hatch and we follow them out."

" Are you serious?" exclaimed Anati, "That will take forever! How are we to keep up this "combustible product" thing for that long?"

" You know..." I said. I hesitated. "I think... I think I have a better idea. What if we use the combustible product scheme to get us out of here?"

" And... how?" asked Anati, confused.

I explained the plan to her and to Essam. As I spoke, I thought it was actually a pretty good plan.

And you know what? I think Anati and Essam thought it was a pretty good plan, too.

" Clear the room, I say, clear the room!" Anati was running around the room screaming. "There are combustible products in that ship over there, and they are set to go off in less than ten minutes. So whoever is in charge of this place, Visser One has ordered complete evacuation of the room, and if you could please open the hatch so we can bring this thing down in a deserted area to prevent any harm to residents? Thank you for your time and cooperation. We will be leaving--"

" Anati!" whispered Essam urgently, "They get it already!"

" Oh... Okay."

We pulled Anati back into the ship.

The plan worked to perfection. Workers ran screaming from the room, pushing each other towards the exit. Desperately trying to save themselves from the fake combustible product alert...

And suddenly, over our heads... The hatch opened.

" Go, go, go!" yelled Essam.

I struggled with the controls. Was it the green button or the red button? How did you turn this ship on?!

" Essam!" I exclaimed, "I'm sorry, but I have no idea how to start this thing!"

Essam rolled his eyes and then rushed over to the controls. He pushed a purple button that I had completely overlooked, and the engine revved to life.

" Let's go," he said.

He shifted a control stick to "medium burn" and we lifted off the ground quite quickly. Quite? Did I say that? I meant very, very, VERY quickly!

" Is it... really necessary... to be going this fast?!" I exclaimed, addressing Essam, trying my best to fight the forces of gravity and speed combined.

" We have to make it seem like we're trying to land this ship as fast as possible," said Essam, "But actually, we're not going to land at all! Well, we are... At Sub-Visser Nine's headquarters!"

" On medium burn, we'll get there in no time!" said Anati, "I thought you said we had to rescue Edriss at night!"

" We do," replied Essam, "So we'll just have to park a little ways off, out of Sub-Visser Nine's sight, for the few hours until nighttime."

" A few hours?" exclaimed Anati, "We'll go crazy, waiting all that time!"

" Skreet...?" asked a confused voice.

" Okay, Orifix, stop fooling around." said Essam.

" I didn't say anything!" I exclaimed.

" Well, then if you didn't make that noise... Then who--" Anati started.

" SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!"

" Oh, my God..." said Anati, sounding slightly afraid. "You guys... Look, by the controls..."

We looked to where Anati was pointing. And then, our breathing stopped...

The Taxxon was awake.

And it was rearing up for an attack!

" Hey wait!" said Essam. He approached the Taxxon! " Nice Taxxon... You know, I found some meat over in the storage area. If you help us with our plan, we'll give you the meat for free!"

" Skree! Skreeee!" the Taxxon yelled joyfully.

Okay... Not only was this Taxxon obviously not controlled by a Yeerk, it seemed that the only things he could say were "Skreet" and "Skree".

" Hey... eum," Essam whispered to Anati and I, " Can one of you guys go check in the storage area for that meat? See... I sort of lied. I have no idea if there's actually meat in there!"

Anati and I looked at each other.

" Argh..." we said simultaneaously.

But then Anati agreed to go check. So I stayed there, with Essam and the strange Taxxon who wouldn't stop jumping around.

And as we landed, about a mile away from Sub-Visser Nine's headquarters, in the middle of a small area of trees, Essam finally asked:

" Have you any idea what "Skreet" means?!"

" No," I replied simply.

" Skreet! Skreeeeeeeeeet!" exclaimed the Taxxon.

" I thought not." said Essam, annoyed.

I laughed. Then, I looked out the front window of the ship at the darkening sky outside.

This was going to be a long three hours...

**PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE!**


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

**Edriss 562**

The chair spun. Around and around again. I couldn't get dizzy because I couldn't see the world spinning around me.

I spun in the chair in my room in Sub-Visser Nine's headquarters, hoping all the spinning would drown out Sub-Visser Nine's voice...

" I think we both got off on the wrong foot, Edriss." he said. " If you'll forgive me, we can start all over."

" Never." I said icily, all my emotions severely controlled.

" I don't think you mean it that way, do you? You're just in a bad way, needing time to--"

" I can assure you I will never forgive you as long as I live." I cut him off. " Now leave me."

I got up and walked off, strolling blindly around the room, my arms in front of me feeling for obstacles.

" You are..." Sub-Visser Nine continued, " A feisty little Yeerk, no doubt. You have a very strong will. And the confidence of a Visser. Unlikely qualities, especially for a female."

" Don't try to flatter me," I spat. " I won't go back on my word."

He was silent for a moment. I could tell he was taken aback by my confidence. ... My confidence was the last thing I had in this world.

Suddenly, I felt something take my arm. Another Hork-Bajir. Sub-Visser Nine. What did he want now? I yanked my arm out of his grasp.

" Let me out of here!" I screamed. " Why am I prisoner in this horrible place?"

" You are a nuisance with that host, I'm afraid." replied Sub-Visser Nine, suddenly in a very harsh tone, " And you can be quite destructive. You are to remain here until further notice. No exceptions. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

" Have I?" I replied dryly.

Sub-Visser Nine didn't answer. I didn't expect him to. I just heard footsteps and a door slamming as he left the room.

I felt around, making sure he was gone. I didn't like it when he came in my room. We always had these little talks about forgiving him.

Each time I refused.

And this time, there was another reason why I needed to be sure he was gone...

" Okay, guys, you can come out now." I said, addressing the closet in a corner of my room.

" Fiou!" I heard a voice say, " Thank God, I was starting to think we'd never get out of here!"

I heard a squeak as the closet door slid open. Out came four sets of footsteps. They were four Hork-Bajir Controllers that had escaped from their own rooms, found each other, and then found me. They had come along with Tehlit to save Orifix and me.

" So, how was the talk with Sub-Visser Nine?" asked the Yeerk named Oria Zero-Five-Five-Six.

" Not so great," I said. " As usual, though."

" Don't worry," said Mahir Two-One-One, " I'm sure Tehlit has a plan to come save us. Or Kitek. Those two always figure something out."

" Yeah," added Zedan One-One-Four-Four, " We'll be out of here in no time."

I listened to their comforting words. At least now I had someone to keep me company!

But deep down, I was really wondering how it was that Zedan had the same number as Orifix. I mean, One-One-Four-Four isn't a number you see every day.

Could Zedan be... No, that was impossible. I could not be standing face to face with Orifix's twin sister. That would be just too much of a coincidence...

So I didn't even ask her if she had a twin named Orifix. I told myself I would ask Orifix when -- if -- I saw him again.

The Yeerk named Akalis Three-Four-Double-Two, the prime, remained silent. He stayed seated in the middle of the closet, his arms folded neatly on his lap, seeming intensively pensive. At least, that's how Mahir and Zedan described him to me.

And after a while, his lack of speech seemed to get on Mahir's nerves.

" You could at least say something, Akalis," he said rather cooly, breaking the silence that had settled into the room. " We all gave our opinions on getting out of here and I think you should pitch in a little too."

Akalis's eyes became stone. To Mahir's opinion he simply replied:

" I hate Sub-Visser Nine."

" Yeah," I said, " Who doesn't? But that has nothing to do with you creeping us out by not talking."

" How can you be so sure it has nothing to do with it?" snapped Akalis.

" Hey!" I exclaimed, indignated. " I told you what I thought in a simple, polite way. You don't just snap at me like that. Who stepped on your Kandrona?"

" Sub-Visser Nine did," Akalis replied simply.

" Yeah, well, he stepped on mine, too." I said in almost a whisper, " It's his fault after all that--"

" That she can't see an inch in front of her," Mahir finished for me. " So what could he possibly have done to you that's worse than being blind?"

They were all backing me up. But we weren't prepared for what came next. In fact, it hadn't even crossed my mind.

Akalis took a breath, swallowed, then answered Mahir's question:

" He killed Akalis Three-Four-Double-Two, the lesser. My twin."

Akalis Three-Four-Double-Two, the lesser, had just awaken, that fateful morning, when he, his twin brother, and a few other Yeerks were called to the infestation pier at the Mat Seran pool, his home pool. Sub-Visser Nine, at the time Sub-Visser Ten, was there. He had come to monitor some of the Yeerk children at Mat Seran, to see if they behaved as well as the high-class-bred Yeerks of Sulp Niar. To see if they controlled their hosts as well as we, impeccably trained originators of the Sulp Niar pool.

Yeerks from the Sulp Niar pool, as myself, are like what you humans would call "first class". Born in the biggest, best pool, the main pool in the center of the Homeworld, we were better trained and taken care of than the Yeerks of the side pools.

Therefore, better able to take what came from controlling a host. Your first host, especially.

Akalis, the lesser, and his twin were two point five Yeerk years old at the time. They were very close twins, and great friends.

So of course, it took a long time for reality to hit Akalis, the prime...

The twins infested two Hork-Bajir. The tallest one was given to Akalis, the prime. It was a way of telling the two apart.

But the Yeerks in charge of capturing hosts for the young children did not know that the small Hork-Bajir, the one for Akalis, the lesser, had a birth defect in his left leg, which caused that leg to be completely paralysed. The Hork-Bajir could not walk at all.

And as Akalis, the prime told us the sad story of his twin's short life, I could just hear all their voices...

" But... Sub-Visser, he's just a child..." one of the host-captors pleaded.

" I don't care." Sub-Visser Nine's shrill voice rang in my ears, " We haven't enough hosts. There is absolutely no hope for this Yeerk. He is a nuisance. A complete nuisance. He will never serve any purpose in the Yeerk Empire with that crippled--"

" But you can't!" Akalis, the prime, sobbed. " He's my brother! You can't just--"

" Take him away!" Sub-Visser Nine ordered his subordinates, " Exterminate him. Make sure he dies quickly, by Dracon beam perhaps. Or the Gleet BioFilter."

And then, Akalis, the prime could only watch as his twin brother got taken by the arms and dragged away by two big Hork-Bajir. His brother did not know what hit him, and, not knowing what was coming next, he smiled at Akalis, the prime. Said:

" See you later, Akalis!"

And that was the last Akalis, the prime ever saw of his twin brother...

I jerked back. I could not believe my ears.

And it wasn't because of the story. Sure, the story was among the saddest I had ever heard, but it wasn't that.

No, it was the fact that I could still hear Sub-Visser Nine speaking. Speaking the words Akalis had told us he said to Akalis, the lesser.

But he wasn't speaking to Akalis. He was speaking to me.

His voice rang in my ears as he spoke those words. Those horrible words no Yeerk ever wants to hear.

" You are a nuisance." he said.

You are a nuisance...

... In a destructive state.

... We haven't enough hosts...

So what was I? Nothing? Was I also to die by Dracon beam? Or by unauthorised penetration of the Gleet BioFilter? Was I to die as well? And would my body be placed along with the other unfortunate Yeerk children who died because of unfortunate host disabilities?

No. I knew my life was worth more than that. If only I was given a chance!

But, unfortunately for me, Sub-Visser Nine did not know the meaning of second chances.

And if he wouldn't give me a second chance, I wouldn't give him one. End of story.

" So, now do you see why I hate Sub-Visser Nine so much?" Akalis asked. I knew he was addressing me.

I didn't answer. Couldn't. My mouth refused to open.

I let my Hork-Bajir body slump down on the ground. I lay on my side, motionless, hearing the voices in the room but not making any sense out of them...

I wanted to faint right there. I wanted to faint, and when I woke up I'd be back in Sulp Niar pool. And none of this would ever had happened. I would be in my home pool. Before the Andalite Homeworld. Before getting my host. And then I could get another host. I could see. And then I could just be normal...

I closed my eyes. "Normal" was something I would never be, I knew that already.

But everyone can dream...

A long time passed. I think I fell asleep sometime during that long wait, and I think some of the others did, too. And I would have stayed there, on the floor, even longer.

But sometimes things happen. Things you weren't expecting...

" Edriss?" I recognized Zedan's voice. She shook me slightly. " Wake up, there's something you should know about."

" What is it, Zedan?" I asked sleepily.

" Eu... How to explain this..." Zedan said thoughtfully. " There's a Bug Fighter parked at about three feet from the window, and two Hork-Bajir just exited the ship. These two signaled to another one, so I am supposing there may be more of them."

" Do we know these Hork-Bajir?" I asked. " Find out who they are."

" Got it," said Zedan.

She left, her Hork-Bajir feet clapping loudly on the floor. I got up, and my extra-sensitive Hork-Bajir nose smelled an unusual scent in the air: Ship exhaust fumes. From the engines. Or engine.

There was a ship out there, all right. All we needed to know was who had used it to arrive here in such late nighttime.

I felt with my arms to find my way to the window. There, I bumped into Zedan. She seemed concentrated. Her arms were very tense. Or at least that's what I realized from what I could feel.

" One of them just... waved at me." said Zedan, sounding unsure. " Now he's waving at you. Another one has both his hands over his mouth... Hold on... The first one just told us to... to come! But how to we do that?"

" We cut through the glass, with our blades," I replied. I felt the window to make sure I was in the right position, and then I cut a thick gash through the window, letting the warm air from outside enter the room. " You see? I will need your help. Everyone, cut the window like I just did. We'll go outside and see what those Hork-Bajir out there want."

To my surprise, they all obeyed. Everyone started cutting up the glass, piercing holes, shattering the window little by little, on my instruction. And then, when the hole we'd made was big enough for the biggest of us to pass through, we squeezed through the glass, and out into the world outside.

" Edriss?" I heard a strangely familiar voice. " Are you there?"

" Yes, I am here," I replied. " What is the meaning of--"

" Edriss, it's me, Anati!" the voice said. " Your sister! I came here with Tehlit to save you, but everyone except this guy, Essam, and I got captured. So the both of us united with Orifix to get all of you out. Now we can go back to the base," Anati reached out and took my arm. " It has been such a long time... It's so great to see you!"

" I wish I could say the same," I said regretfully. " It's great to hear you, in my case ... But did you say Orifix was here? And what about Tehlit? Is he with you?"

" I'm sorry..." Anati said, " We weren't able to trace Tehlit and the others. But Orifix is here."

" Edriss," Orifix said, " You are safe. I am very grateful."

" Same here," I said happily. " ... Eu, Orifix?"

" Yeah."

" Where are you?"

" Up on the ramp of this Bug Fighter we stole to come save you." replied Orifix.

" Stole it? But how did you--" I started.

" It's a LONG story," said a Hork-Bajir I could only assume was Essam, " An incredibly sad, LONG story! Now come on, come inside, I thought I told you we had to do this quickly. It's a long way back to the base. If you want I can tell you the story on the way. It'll take my mind off of motion sickness."

I rolled my blind eyes and started up the ramp of the ship. If there was one annoying Yeerk, it was Essam. For some reason I couldn't stand him.

... Now, did I know that this very annoying Yeerk that I could not stand was my future lover? Absolutely not.

Half way up the ramp I stopped. Anati bumped into me.

" What's the matter, Edriss?" she asked.

" ... What about Tehlit?" I replied, " We can't just leave without him!"

" Sure we can," said Essam.

" Listen, you--" I started.

" Okay, whoa!" said Orifix, calming us all down, " Edriss, we decided that since we lack time, we will bring you back to the base, and then come back for Tehlit and the others tomorrow. We will find him."

" Hopefully." said Essam.

I clinched my fist, trying hard not to rip him to shreds.

Anati, the four Yeerks who were with me, and I climbed up the ramp. I ran into a sleeping Taxxon close to the controls of the ship, but didn't bother asking why it was there.

The ride lasted long. A good hour, at least. And before we sped away into nowhere, I took one look back at Sub-Visser Nine's headquarters. And smiled.

I was outta there.

We arrived at the base late. Anati told me someone called "the Minister" was going to kill her and the others for leaving so suddenly. We walked to the front door, and I heard beeping as Anati pressed in the code to open it.

When we arrived inside, we got applauded and congratualed by many other children at the base.

And that night, I got the first real good night sleep in what seemed like a while.

But before I closed my eyes to fall asleep, I whispered to Orifix, who was sharing a large room with me:

" Orifix? Thanks for saving me."

" No problem," he replied, " No problem at all."

The next day, at dawn, two members of Tehlit's crew left with the Bug Fighter to go find Tehlit. They succeeded, and a few hours later, he came back, the same, happy, smiling Tehlit he had always been.

Life became a bit more normal after that. And I don't know why, but I sort of missed all the adventure. I still had my blind host.

But I was happier now.

For we had all been reunited.

Sub-Visser Nine must have decided it was best to leave us alone for a while. And when he decided to come back, we were more prepared.

But now, Orifix, Tehlit and I just lived a mostly happy life at the base. Together.

And it was a long, long time before any of that changed...

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	9. Chapter Nine

**_Controller_**

by Sinister Shadow

(I don't own Animorphs)

**Chapter Nine**

FIVE EARTH YEARS LATER

_Earth date: 1989_

_Andalite date: 8564.8_

_Yeerk date: Generation 687, early cycle, year 2125.4_

**Orifix**

I can still remember that day now. The day where I was reunited once more with my two Yeerk friends. How we had been happy to see each other (with the exception of Edriss, of course, who was quite happy to hear us)!

That was one of those days, a day with a rare, beautiful sun going down on the usually stormy Yeerk Homeworld. It was like the sun came out just for us, shining with all its might.

Yes, that day was just one of those days you realize that for just those few moments, those few small, short moments, you have not a care in the world...

It was one of those days that I'll never forget.

And then, like the stars zooming by when you're on a spacecraft, two point five Yeerk years (or five Earth years) passed. We were still at Mitar base. All of us.

Kitek, Essam, Anati and the rest of Tehlit's crew were all safe and sound. They had organized a party for the three of us the day after Tehlit returned.

But now, life was basically back to normal.

And I liked it.

I was eleven Earth years old now. Or five point five Yeerk years. I was still a child by Yeerk standards, as the age of adulthood begins at seven point five years (fifteen Earth years old). But I had matured a lot.

And my host, Oketo, had grown bigger and stronger- although not much smarter- and he was also older.

( You stay here forever? ) he asked me one day.

( Probably, why? )

( Because if you here, I not be controlled by other Yeerk. ) he replied. ( You nice Yeerk. Edriss nice Yeerk. Oketo think Vec like Edriss. )

( Yeah? Well, you're nice, for a host. ) I said, ( I've heard some Hork-Bajir and Taxxons yell at their Yeerks and threaten them. I'm glad you're not one of those. )

( Orifix friend, ) Oketo simply answered.

I smiled. I couldn't help it. It's nice to know that even your host likes you...

Oketo and I talked a lot. We still do, even now. But more back then, when the only thing to do was live...

I spent most of my free time in my room. The beautiful room at Mitar base, with its hologrammed night sky and great dark blue walls. It was the room I had been given, here at the base. And it was all mine!

Edriss came to visit me a lot. She was lonely all the time. I felt sad for her because she was always sad. She felt left out with the other females because she was blind and they weren't. So I kept her company.

Tehlit did also, but some things did change... Tehlit was thirteen Earth years old now. He was always gone to training. Not Sub-Visser training, just training to fight, and to obey orders if he had to.

Edriss and I, children still, didn't have to worry about that yet. And Edriss would probably never have to worry about it.

I would, though. It scared me a little. I'd have given anything to switch places with her sometimes...

And that... that one thought... was what gave me the greatest idea I ever had.

" Okay, Edriss, that's it..." I said, " A bit more to the left."

It was the next day. Edriss had come to visit me, like usual. We were sitting on my bed, silent. Well, for a while at least. Until I told her my idea.

She moved left... moved closer, closer to me, until our ears touched.

I had double-locked the door. Closed the window. Placed a hologram over the window and the door frame, both making it seem like the lights were off and that I was soundly sleeping on my bed.

" Am I here?" asked Edriss. Then, she added, guilt in her voice, though her face wasn't showing it, " You know... You really don't have to do this, Orifix..."

" I want to," I replied simply. " You're there."

" Okay, here goes, then."

I knew she was going along with the plan. This was what she wanted more than anything. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of this before!

I started moving. Moving out.

( Take care of her, ) I told Oketo.

Then, I slithered out of my free ear. I landed with a soft thud on my bed. And... and there was no liquid! No water!

My Yeerk instincts were in a panic. I needed water... Needed to breathe... Help!

Help! Help me, Edriss! Oketo! Anybody!

It was like she heard me. I knew she was in there already. And, even though I couldn't hear it, I knew she was screaming of joy.

She picked me up. Or at least I hoped it was her... She lifted me into the air.

Suddenly, I felt an opening. I squirmed inside, my Yeerk mind in a state of emergency...

After what seemed like crawling forever, I finally emerged into an electric space.

The brain.

Vec's brain.

That's right. Edriss and I had swapped hosts. We had agreed to stay in each other's host bodies for one feeding cycle, three days. That was because we couldn't keep up the act for more time than that.

If we were in each other's hosts, I'd have to pretend to be her... And she'd have to pretend to be me.

And if we went to feed coming out of each other's hosts, we'd be discovered. This whole idea would have to proceed in complete secret.

So I proceeded quickly into the young Hork-Bajir's mind quickly, hoping no one would find their way into this room.

I slowly opened my control over Vec. Opened the senses. This Hork-Bajir had unusually good hearing! I heard my - no, Edriss's - voice.

" Orifix? Are you inside? Can you hear me?" I could hear the shrill excitement in her voice as she spoke.

I could notice sounds I could never have noticed, should I still have been in Oketo's body.

I moved Vec's hands. Moved her legs. She did not have an extraordinary sense of smell. No Hork-Bajir does.

But the touch... Yes, the sense of touch was fabulous. I could identify objects and people simply by touching them. Could feel where I was by the temperature, texture and height/length of things. It was absolutely fantastic!

I guess those great senses made up for the loss of sight.

I opened Vec's eyes last. Nothing. Only blackness everywhere.

I decided to test Vec's ability to walk. I stepped forward on smaller legs than I was used to. Crashed into a low-floating table.

" Hah!" Edriss laughed sweetly, " Now do you see what I live every day?"

It was strange to hear her speaking in my voice. And equally as strange to hear myself speaking in this voice. This voice I always recognized as hers...

" Yes," I replied, " It isn't pleasant..."

Suddenly, I heard Edriss moving nearby. Her front horns touched mine briefly,

then she pulled away.

( Hork-Bajir kiss, ) Vec said, knowing my confusion.

" Thanks, Orifix." said Edriss in an uncharacteristically soft voice, " Thank you for doing this for me."

" You're welcome!" I replied, almost falling over in surprise. Edriss had just kissed me! I mean, it was a Hork-Bajir kiss, but still! Would I be okay? " I... I have long dreamt of doing this... Swapping hosts, I mean... Eu... Look, Edriss... you're... as to say, you are... eum..." I dropped it with a sigh. " Very, very welcome."

She was speechless for a moment.

" Yes, well... I sort of figured I was welcome the first time you said it," she finally said. Then she laughed.

I felt my face flush. For a moment I wished I were still in my old body, so that Edriss couldn't see me blushing.

... What sort of rotten excuse for an Andalite was I? I mean, what in the universe did I intend to accomplish by babbling like some... Hork-Bajir...?

Sorry, Vec and Oketo.

I was ashamed of my behavior lately. Very un-Andalite. Couldn't even talk straight, and to a Yeerk, of all creatures!

Edriss is more than just a Yeerk, Orifix, and you know it! I reminded myself. And so is Tehlit. And Anati and Essam. They are your friends! They saved your life! You would be dead without all of them. What would happen if they died? You would be sad, Orifix. Admit it.

And I did admit it. Somewhere deep down, I really, truly did. And I also admitted now that not only my body had permanently turned into a Yeerk.

A part of my soul would always be Andalite. But, just as surely, another part would always be Yeerk.

" You must be kidding me with this!" Tehlit whispered from over the table. " Okay, Edriss, enough fooling around. I know that's you in there."

" It isn't! It's me, Tehlit! Orifix!" I begged him to believe me.

" No way. There is no -"

" Oh, hi Tehlit!" Edriss ran, with my body, over to our table. Once she arrived, she added, more quietly: " Hi, Orifix!"

We were sitting, all three of us now, at our usual table in the Hork-Bajir cafeteria at the base. Even after two point five Yeerk years, the place had not drastically changed. It was still the same, big circular room, with a bunch of circular floating tables and five adjustable floating chairs at every table. Through the ceiling of the cafeteria, you could see the sky. Today, Edriss gladly took the job of telling me it was dark and cloudy. The usual, when you live on the Yeerk Homeworld.

All around, Hork-Bajir-Controllers chatted while eating. So we could be very sure no one would be paying any attention to our conversation.

Also sitting at the table, right beside Tehlit, sat Kitek Eight-Nine-Three, a female Yeerk who is sort of Tehlit's partner. But now, the two had become more than just partners. It seemed that, over time, Tehlit had developped a certain affection for Kitek. The two of them gave each other Hork-Bajir kisses all the time. Their kisses lasted quite long. But that was a normal thing for them to do now.

My whole life as a Yeerk, I never imagined I would be getting a Hork-Bajir kiss! Let alone from Edriss!

... Yes, you are very correct in assuming I still hadn't gotten over that.

" Well, I think they may be sincere," Kitek said, still a bit skeptical, " I mean, why would Edriss pretend to be Orifix? That just isn't like Edriss."

" No, that isn't like me at all!" exclaimed Edriss with my voice, " Now can we please drop it? Orifix and I swapped hosts. Period. Now! Tehlit, how was training? Commence at the beginning. Finish at the end."

I heard her set her elbows on the table. Felt her cupping her face in her hands, and knew she was staring attentively at Tehlit while chewing on a piece of bark.

Tehlit laughed. " Okay, okay, that does it... Now, I am absolutely certain that that is Edriss. Only Edriss actually wants to listen to stories about my training. And only Edriss says "commence"!"

I smiled, relieved that the two of them believed our story.

I picked up a small piece of bark and chewed it thoughtfully.

" So let me get this straightà" Kitek said, " You guys have switched hosts? For how long?"

" For three days," replied Edriss. " That's all we will be able to do. We cannot exit our current hosts to feed, because the Sub-Vissers and the others in charge of hosted Yeerks will recognize us. They will know we are not in our rightful host bodies."

" Very true." said Kitek.

" So," Tehlit leaned across the table to speak to Edriss in a lower tone. " How are you enjoying sight so far?"

Edriss sighed and relaxed her arms on the table. " It's wonderful," she said simply.

" It is the most wonderful thing in this universe. To have been deprived of it for so long! It seems like life was incomplete for all those years since, and before, the fifteen minutes I once had. It's too bad it has to end in three days... But I have three days! Three whole days! Not fifteen minutes. So it's great."

She stopped after that. I didn't hear a word from her for a long time after that. I suppose she was contemplating the world around her, amazed by its beauty.

That was exactly what I had done when I first got my host. Thanking all the lords in this universe that I could once again see...

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. Yes, Edriss and I would have to live each other's life. In other words, I would get to see (well, not really) how Edriss Five-Six-

Two lived each day. And Edriss would get to see how Orifix One-One-Four-Four lived each day. She'd be me. And I'd be her.

Somehow, that thought disturbed me...

" Hey, guys, what's going on around here?" a new voice said.

" Oh no!" I heard Edriss mutter.

And then, I immediately knew who this Yeerk had to be...

" What do you want, Essam?" asked a very annoyed Tehlit.

" I was bored with Akalis over in the common room, so I came here to see if you people were doing anything more interesting."

I heard a soft squish as Essam climbed into the last remaining chair of the table. He took a piece of bark from the stack we had and munched on it.

" Hey, Orifix," he said in a mock sad tone, addressing Edriss, of course. " Buddy! Aren't you glad to see me?"

" I'm not Orifix, you dimwit!" whispered Edriss icily. " I am Edriss. And, actually, I am quite glad to see you. Except for the fact that it's you."

" Edriss?" Essam coughed, almost choking on his bark. " But how -"

" Never mind how." Edriss said, " Tehlit! You have training tomorrow, right? I'm coming to watch!"

" But you... Edriss..." Tehlit sighed, then finally conceded. " Oh, alright. But don't even ask if you can participate!"

" No, please don't!" I added, " You may want to be a Visser, Edriss, but it doesn't interest me in the least! I don't want to be stuck going to those training sessions for a long, long time now..."

**Please review if you want me to continue!**


	10. Chapter Ten

**_Controller_**

**(I don't own Animorphs)**

**Chapter Ten**

**Tehlit 286**

" Tehlit, what is that thing?" Edriss pointed to the state-of-the-art Dracon Beam I was holding, " I want one! Do you think I could just… try it? You know… after you're done?"

I sighed. I knew watching me train would be too tempting for her…

" No way, Edriss," I reminded her in a whisper. " I told you you couldn't touch anything."

It was the next day. The day after I had been told that my two best friends had swapped hosts. The day that I learned that for three days and only three days Edriss would be able to see.

... And Orifix would not.

We were at training. Edriss had insisted to come watch me. I told her she could, but only if she stayed seated patiently on the sidelines of the training field, watching me, and of course acting like Orifix.

I knew how much she wanted to just jump up and join me in my training. But I couldn't allow it.

I guess Edriss would... someday... just have to get used to the fact that it would never happen. That she would never be able to become a Visser. That she would have to live like the other females did.

Seeing or not.

But she would see forever. Someday. I swore it to myself every night before falling asleep. It was a good comfort.

" Oh, Teeeeeeeeh-LIIIIIIIIIT!" I heard another Hork-Bajir-Controller call from the other side of the field.

A Hork-Bajir-Controller I knew.

And oh, God I despised him...

I turned and looked at him running up to us, a handheld Dracon beam in his left Hork-Bajir hand.

" Essam," Edriss sighed in annoyance, raising her eyes to the sky.

" Hello, Essam," I said as the annoying Yeerk caught his breath, " Nice day, isn't it?"

I shot a look at the dark green clouds and at the acid droplets they produced.

Yes, what a beautiful day!

" Great day," answered Essam. He laughed. " Morning, Ed."

I rolled my eyes. Essam recently got into the habit of calling Edriss "Ed". And sometimes, Edriss calls Essam "Essannoying". But that's a completely different story.

I gave Essam a nudge. I sort of dug painfully into his Hork-Bajir ribs while I was at it.

" Not too loud, you big dapsen!" I whispered. " If someone hears you call her Edriss, the whole plan is completely blown!"

Essam jerked back, offended. In case no one mentionned it by now, calling someone a dapsen is horribly vulgar. The word "dapsen" means... something I definitely won't repeat...

" Well I'm sorry," Essam said stiffly. " I called her ED! ED! Not EDRI"

Edriss slapped her hand violently against Essam's Hork-Bajir mouth before he had time to finish.

" Shut up, you imbecile!" she yelled, " We don't have time for this. You don't call me Edriss, you call me Orifix. And that's final! Understand?"

" Yes, Visser." Essam said, shooting me an icy look. " I understand you perfectly. Although I am having a hard time understanding mister high-rank wannabe over here."

Edriss looked surprised. Probably because Essam had just called her "Visser". I hated Essam even more from that moment on. I glared at him. He simply smirked.

" Okay, back to the field, everybody!" Sub-Visser Eighteen, in charge of training us, snapped. " Come on! Come on! We've got no time for delinquents!"

" That's right, guys, go on!" Edriss, typically agreeing with the Sub-Visser.

Essam and I didn't speak a word to each other for the rest of training. Or for the rest of the day after that, either.

In fact, even as we crossed paths in the hallway later that night, going in separate directions, not a word escaped our mouths...

* * *

It was late, late in the night, when I heard knocking on my door.

That's a bit strange, I thought to myself as my eyes snapped open. I felt a long chill go down my spine. Who would come visit this late at night?

I checked the clock. Two thirty-four in the morning. Our clocks go all the way to sixteen o'clock, and then go right back to one. When it gets to one the second time, the new day begins. We have thirty-two hours instead of twenty-four.

And two thirty-four was awfully late.

Possibilities came rushing through my mind as I stood up and walked towards the door. What if something had happened to one of my friends? What if something terribly, terribly wrong had happened? I was scared. I was very scared.

I got to the door, took a deep breath and pressed the "open" button.

The door slid open. And I found myself face to face with three Hork-Bajir. Two small ones, and one taller one.

The small ones were definitely Orifix and Anati. I could tell. Orifix was slightly smaller, though. What could possibly have happened for Orifix and Anati to show up at two thirty-four in the morning! I silently asked myself. And then I replied, just as silently: Nothing good...

I looked at the taller Hork-Bajir. A wave of relief swept through my whole body. Kitek. She was safe...

But she seemed distant. Sad. My hope vanished instantly.

" Hi guys," I said sleepily. " What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

" Tehlit." said Orifix. " I am sorry for disturbing you. But we bring awful news."

" What awful news?" I pressed. " What happened?"

" Please, Tehlit, calm down." Kitek said in her sweet voice, " You must let us inside."

They were all speaking in the same tone. Despair. Complete and pure despair.

" Alright," I sighed. I stepped aside and allowed my friends to enter the room. I then shut the door tightly and turned on the lights, sitting on my bed. I looked at each of my friends' faces.

They all looked sad.

But the saddest one was Orifix.

" Okay." I said calmly and monotonally. " What happened?"

" Tehlit, we have some very bad news." said Kitek, " I hope you will not take this too hard."

My mind was swimming in terror. " What is it?" I choked.

" It's Edriss," Orifix said, " She has gone missing."

I felt as if I'd been slapped. I was dizzy. No. How could this happen? How!

" She's been abducted." Anati clarified. " And I think we all know by who."

Her voice was filled with hate. I understood immediately.

And then, if all this wasn't bad enough already, Kitek reached out and placed something in my hand. A ruffled piece of paper. We Yeerks seldom used paper to write messages. Only when we we're in a big hurry.

" We found this on her bed," said Kitek sadly, " It may come in handy."

With shaking hands, I unfolded the paper. The message was written in a faded ink. But,

nevertheless, nothing doubted what it said:

_" You were wrong in assuming you were through with ME! Now you will all pay for what you have done. By the sacrifice of your little friend here._

_He will talk. And then, it will only be a matter of time..."_

I was speechless, not knowing if I should say something or not. All I knew for sure was that now, our lives were in peril again. He had come back for us... And this time, who knew how hard it would be...

Who knew if we'd even make it out alive...

I shot a defeated glance at the letter. The simple, primitive letter that had caused all our hope to disappear in a matter of seconds.

The letter was not signed. It didn't need to be.

* * *

The next day, I awoke early and walked down the few hallways to the cafeteria. When I arrived at our usual table, I noticed that Orifix was already sitting there, chewing on a piece of bark, his eyes fixated blindly straight in front of him.

Edriss's eyes.

He was not alone. Also at the table was... Essam. Oh, God, not him. I could not stand that Yeerk, and Orifix knew it!

But as soon as I pulled up a chair and sat down next to Orifix, I noticed that something was different about Essam. He wasn't acting normally. Not at all. Neither was I, I guess. Or anyone.

Essam placed a hand on my arm, turning me to face him.

" Okay, Tehlit, listen." he said, uncharacteristically serious, " I acted like a dapsen. So I'm going to apologize so we can all get along and find Edriss as soon as possible."

I was shocked. I was more than shocked.

... Was _Essam Two-Nine-Three_ being nice! That was pretty decent of him to put Edriss's safety before our personal quarrels...

Strange... But I let it go.

" Alright," I said. " You're right. Thanks, Essam."

" No problem," said Essam. Then, with a laugh, he added, " See? This is much better than pouting all day long! We can do something productive with our lives, at last!"

I could not conceal a laugh. I guess it was basically at that moment that Essam and I became, more or less, friends. After all, we were all in the same situation.

We needed to find Edriss. And we needed to do it quickly.

Who knew what was happening to her now, right at this instant? Who knew if Sub-Visser

Nine... or whatever rank he was at now... would keep her long enough for them to discover our

secret?

The secret of the host swap.

... Hold on! That was it!

" You guys!" I exclaimed, " That's it! I think I just figured something out. The note said "He will talk". Sub-Visser Nine thinks he kidnapped Orifix, not Edriss. Maybe... maybe somehow, we could use that to our advantage."

" What are you talking about?" asked Orifix. " How would we use the host swap to our advantage?"

" I don't know..." I admitted. " I just don't know. All I do know is that we need to do something, and fast. We'll assemble the crew after we're done eating. We can meet in my room and make a decent plan. Then, we'll set out. Today. Tomorrow morning, at the latest. We don't have much time. So we'll use what we've got."

* * *

Zedan One-One-Four-Four. Akalis Three-Four-Two-Two, the prime. Janoki Four-Four-Three.

Essor Three-Five-One, Odanji Two-One-Six, Oria Zero-Five-Five-Six. Aneiko Two-One-One and Mahir Two-One-One.

And, of course, Kitek, Essam, Anati, Orifix and I.

Those were the members of my crew. Edriss was also part of it, of course. But, for now, she was the one the crew needed to rescue.

We had all assembled in my room. It was ten twelve in the morning. Still early. Lots of time to plan.

Orifix and Anati were sitting on my bed, quiet. Very still. I guess the fact that Edriss had been kidnapped was still hitting them pretty hard. It was hard on me, too, but I had realized that we couldn't just sit around feeling bad. We needed to do something about it. And quick.

We had fooled Sub-Visser Nine, in a way. He thought he'd captured Orifix. But he had no idea that who he'd really captured wasn't Orifix at all...

Although, that fact would serve us no purpose. We could not tell Sub-Visser Nine that he had captured Edriss. We needed to keep that a secret for as long as we could. Forever, even.

But still, it's good to look on the positive side...

" Okay, what now?" asked Anati, finally speaking. " We cannot have this. I'm sure you all agree that we can not have this!"

" Do not worry, I agree completely." Orifix muttered.

" We all agree," added Kitek.

" Yes. We will find Edriss soon." said Oria Zero-Five-Five-Six, " She counts on us to return her to her home. So we will do all that is possible. That's all we can do. And together, we can do a lot."

I smiled. Oria always knows how to make people feel better.

Even when it was hard to feel good about anything...

" Eu... I don't really have a plan," I confessed, " So I'm open to suggestions."

Essam jumped up.

" You don't have a plan!" he clapped his hands to his face in mock terror, " Well, that does it, then. We're all dead."

Anati stared at him attentively for a moment. " Are you through?" she exclaimed.

" Come on, people," said Akalis, " We have to think of something here."

" We don't really have time to argue," Kitek added. " Edriss's life is in danger. We have to do something."

I thought it over or a moment. Then, I looked at Kitek.

" Yes, we do have to do something. And I just may have an idea." I said. " But I believe the true question is: Will we have enough time?"

_**Please review if you want me to continue...**_


	11. Chapter Eleven

**A/N:** Here it is! Just as I promised!

_**Controller**_

(by Sinister Shadow)

_**Chapter Eleven**_

**Edriss 562**

I do not believe that my childhood was one of the best there ever was among Yeerks. Perhaps my adulthood was better, but I will not go that far in the future. Not yet.

For that part of my life... is an entirely different story.

But the present, this present, was among the worst of my times. I had been, once again, abducted by Sub-Visser Nine. Being carried by Blade ship all the way back to his headquarters.

What he wanted from me was unclear. But nevertheless, I felt defeated. Stupid. Like I wasn't looking out enough for myself and my friends...

... My friends!

What if they'd been captured also? How stupid could we have been to think he would just leave us alone?

Sub-Visser Nine sat near me, on a chair designed for Hork-Bajir. I was laying on the ground, my arms tied behind my back and my legs tied together with indestructible microcellular cords. Microcellular cords are made of billions and billions of tiny particles of very strong metal, all intertwined. The stuff is completely indestructible, and very flexible. Hence the fact that it is rope. And this rope tied me down...

Sub-Visser Nine had not spoken to me once since we had entered the Bug Fighter. And I had not spoken to him. I was too humiliated to speak. Too humiliated even to listen...

So when Sub-Visser Nine finally said something, I was awfully surprised.

" So, Orifix One-One-Four-Four, correct?" asked Sub-Visser Nine. " You thought you could escape me, didn't you? Well, evidently, you were wrong."

He paused for a moment. I was confused. But then, I remembered...

_But yes_,I reminded myself, _I am in Orifix's host body. Sub-Visser Nine thinks he kidnapped Orifix, not me_!

I gloated interiorly. Even if it would not help me in the least, the fact that Sub-Visser Nine thought wrong was very pleasing to me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts once again by Sub-Visser Nine's horrible voice ringing in my ears.

" Oh come now," he said with a sneer, " You remember me. Sub-Visser Nine, in charge, among other things, of hosting Yeerks. Anyhow... _you _will serve me a great purpose. By telling me where your little friend, Edriss Five-Six-Two is! You will tell me, or you will die a very, _very _slow death."

I could feel his anticipation. Sub-Visser Nine would give anything to torture a poor, helpless Yeerk.

" I will tell you nothing," I said at last, trying to sound calm and perfectly controlled. Usually, that wasn't a very hard task for me. But today, tied up in these microcell cords, so badly taken care of, I felt weaker than ever.

" Then you will die, as you must," Sub-Visser Nine sighed.

He rose from his chair almost gracefully, walking towards a compartment desk attached to the far wall near the entrance to the room. He pushed a red button over the compartment, and its door slid open, revealing countless pieces of miscellaneous equipment.

... Sub-Visser Nine slid his hand in the compartment... and came out holding something I recognized immediately... as an electrical chain whip!

I swallowed hard. Closed my eyes, hoping to wake up twenty years from now. Or at least in my bed at the Base...

... But it didn't happen. I felt paralysing terror spread throughout my entire body.

He was actually going to torture me! Right here on this ship! And plus, he was going to do it with an electrical _chain whip_. Those were completely and purely illegal!

I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. I wanted to die right here and now, just to avoid the pain.

But I couldn't do either of those things. I was afraid. I was paralysed with fear. And for more than one reason...

... If Sub-Visser Nine tortured me until I cracked, which I knew he would, I would say whatever he wanted me to. I knew that much of myself. It's not that I would deliberately betray my friends. Never that... It was that I wasn't strong enough.

Maybe I had gotten stronger since the blind host. Just a little. But it still wasn't near enough for a five point five year old Yeerk to take being whipped countless times...

" You..." my words failed. I tried again, swallowing hard. " You wouldn't dare! You wouldn't _dare_, you dapsen!"

I was surprised at the roughness with which I spoke. I had never said anything foul, and let alone swore, in my entire life. But I guess now may have been a good time to start, considering the Sub-Visser _was _a dapsen...

But soon, I realized I'd made a mistake. Sub-Visser Nine may have been slow (and of course, he still _is_), but he wasn't completely stupid. He turned around, facing me, and eyed me suspiciously.

" Hmm..." he said. " Say, young one, you certainly _have _changed a lot since we last met. A lot more cocky than I remember. We're getting confident, aren't we, Orifix One-One-Four-Four?"

" I have no reason to be confident," I admitted lowly. " You have all the advantages. It may be unfair..." I sighed. " But it's true."

He looked at me for a long time. I looked back, but turned away. I couldn't stand his eyes looking at me, so powerful and so confident. I was afraid they would see right through me, right through the secret I was trying to hide from him.

But then, to my great surprise, he smirked lightly, turned off the whip and threw it roughly to the ground, making a noise as loud as a Dracon cannon.

" I see," he said with obviously fake gentleness. " I won't hurt you, Edriss Five-Six-Two... Not now."

I _swear_ I almost passed out. Right then and there. How did he guess? Was it my overconfidence? Was there a way to tell hosted females from hosted males? ... Or was it just that I was lacking that certain charisma that Orifix possessed? Whatever the case, I knew I had blown it. I had acted like me, when I was supposed to act like Orifix... Sub-Visser Nine had guessed. He'd won.

... But I didn't have to tell _him _that!

" What are you talking about?" I asked neutrally, struggling to control my own fear and defeat. " My name is _Orifix_. Edriss isn't here."

" Lie to me all you want, Edriss," he said. " You think I don't know you? You can't hide from yourself, you know. You have a special character. A sort of aura around you. And you cannot do anything to help it. You're different, Edriss Five-Six-Two... You've _always _been different."

I jerked back like I'd been slapped. Alright then! This freak was _seriously _starting to creep me out.

" H... How do you _know_?" I exclaimed. " How did you _know _that?"

He smiled. And let me just tell you, Sub-Visser Nine smiling is a very, _very _strange sight.

" From the moment I first saw you, all those years ago, I knew -- just _knew _-- there was just something about you. I didn't know what, I _still _don't know what. But there's something about you. You aren't like the other females, Edriss. Not at all. And I don't know why... but that worries me."

He picked up the whip, still turned off, and swung it dangerously an inch away from my head.

And then, he turned the whip on. It beamed with electricity, lighting up the Sub-Visser's dimly lit shipboard torture chamber.

" Just to let you know," he said sinisterly, " Experienced Andalite warriors have died here, in this room. So you may consider answering truthfully."

I gulped.

" First of all..." he leaned close, his Hork-Bajir face about an inch away from mine. " You and that Yeerk I _thought_ I kidnapped, Orifix... Why did you swap hosts?"

I swallowed, my eyes riveted on the chain whip that could cause me incredible agony with just one blow. And then I spoke, my voice now shaking beyond my control.

" Be... Because I wanted to see," I mumbled. " Just for three days. We were going to switch back right after feeding."

" I see..." said Sub-Visser Nine. " And... Tell me. What _exactly_ is your relationship with this Orifix One-One-Four-Four?"

I hesitated.

" He... He's a friend," I said.

" Okay... Did you know, Edriss, that host swapping is illegal?"

" Yes. Did you know that possessing an electrical chain whip is illegal?"

Sub-Visser Nine looked surprised. And then, fast as lightning, he struck. The electrical whip came blazing through the air, and then, without warning, smacked against the flesh of my right side.

" AAAAAAAHHH!" I shrieked.

The pain... oh, the pain was unbearable. It was by far the worst thing I had ever experienced in my entire life. _Including _the time I entered my new host, full of anticipation, and then realized I was still unable to see.

Yes, this was a whole new level of pain.

" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" I screamed again.

If I hadn't been tied down with these microcell cords, I would have fallen to the ground and I'm sure I would have never gotten up again. Instead, I let my Hork-Bajir head hang low, crying out again and again, defeated, praying for the end to come…

But the end never came. And soon, as I opened my eyes again, blinded by the intense, burning pain, I saw a figure standing not so far away, a dangerous, hanging weapon in his hand. A weapon that made my very soul quake in fear… If I hadn't been tied up, I would probably have taken my own life right then and there. It was such a hard decision for a child to make on her own… To tell Sub-Visser Nine everything, avoid the pain, but have to live with the guilt of betraying my friends… Or keeping it in, not saying a word, and die as a martyr for my friends and my siblings.

It was, indeed, the hardest choice I'd ever had to make.

But I chose martyr.

" So, Edriss?" Sub-Visser Nine spat. " You see what I'm capable of?"

He stepped calmly toward me, inching foward, just making the tension thicker and thicker by the second. And when he finally stopped he stood right in front of me, leaned down, his Hork-Bajir face just inches from my own.

" So…" he said almost in a whisper. " Where are your friends, Edriss? Or shall I simply dispose of you right now?"

I looked up into his eyes, anger and contempt making them glitter in the faint light. I recalled the hatred I had for the foul beast. Plus all my affection for my friends.

Tehlit. Kitek. Oria. Zedan. Akalis, the prime. Even Essam, for the lords' sake! Although, one, not as much as the others, and two, I would never, ever tell him…

And most of all, for Orifix.

" I take the third option!" I exclaimed.

And then, assembling all my courage, I spat twice, temporarily blinding him in both eyes.

" RRRAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Sub-Visser Nine screamed, a quaking, raging sound. " You little _dapsen_! GUARDS! GUARDS! TO ME!"

Once again, my fear arose, welling up within my heart. Because right then, almost instantly, I heard hurried, rushing footsteps coming this way.

Soon after, there was banging on the door. I heard it, but I was already far away… Sort of like in a trance. Maybe it was the trauma. I don't know.

… All I know is that despite all that, I still heard everything they said…

" Yes, Sub-Visser?" asked a slightly fearful Hork-Bajir-Controller.

" TAKE. HER. AWAY." Sub-Visser Nine tried very hard not to scream. " Lock her up! Give her the WORST treatment you can possibly think of! And tomorrow, she is to be starved! STARVED! I am not going to take this any longer!"

He clutched at his head, roaring in anger, and stormed off, leaving me alone with the guards.

I looked hopelessly at the guards. I watched in defeated silence as they untied me from the microcell cords. Watched on, humiliation weighing me down every step of the way along the long hallway where they kept the prisoners. The Hork-Bajir guards kicked me, pushed me into walls and jeered at me as we walked.

Then, as we got to the end of the hallway, the head guard opened the very last door and threw me into the very last room. I landed hard on the floor, my blades leaving deep dents in the ship metal. Then, I got back up, still groaning in pain while trying to be strong.

I sat against the wall in the empty room. I sat facing the door for a long time. Waiting… Hoping…

And only then did the truth sink in.

Sub-Visser Nine had ordered me starved. I wouldn't escape my death after all… And it was happening tomorrow. _Tomorrow_…

Tomorrow, it would all be over.

And let me just tell you that that night was by far the worst night of my life…

* * *

**Yay! Chapter 11 is finally up! Did you like it? Please review! ... Geez though... More chapters like that and I may have to change the rating to T! ... Anyway, see you later!**


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